OLYMPIC BID: Bold plan to secure top level sport

Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert has launched an online petition calling for the public's support

OLYMPIC BID: Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert and Mackay Netball Association life member Lyn Law. Picture: Melanie Whiting

MACKAY MP Julieanne Gilbert is continuing her push for the region's inclusion in a Queensland Olympic Games bid with a plan to bring netball, as an Olympic exhibition sport, to Mackay.

Mrs Gilbert has also launched an online petition calling for the public's support in bringing the 2032 Olympic Games to Mackay, after she vowed last week to champion the region's inclusion in a Queensland bid.

"Today we're at the netball courts to put it out there to the Federal Government to say if Queensland wins the bid for the Olympic Games, we want to see netball as an exhibition sport and bring it here to Mackay,” she said.

Mrs Gilbert also took the opportunity to slam the Opposition for "failing to back regional Queensland” after LNP party members did not move a motion advocating for regional events to be included in any Olympic bid at its state convention at the weekend.

"This was the perfect opportunity for the LNP to show they support an Olympic bid that supports the entire state, not just the south east corner,” she said.

"Instead, they spent their time spruiking ways to get around developer donation laws and fretting about the ABC. Regional Queensland doesn't seem to have gotten much of a look-in, certainly not when it comes to an Olympic bid.”

In a statement last week, Opposition leader Deb Frecklington said the Olympic Games should be for the whole of Queensland.

"Regional Queensland communities like Mackay should be getting their fair share of infrastructure from Labor with or without the games,” she said.

A spokesman for Ms Frecklington said she also made it clear in her budget reply speech that any Olympic bid must be for the whole state.

Despite her call for a local netball exhibition, Mrs Gilbert said the region could also host mountain biking, sailing or watersport events.

She said Mackay's inclusion would also boost the region's current sporting infrastructure, economy and accommodation offerings.

"It would bring new facilities into our region -we would need to upgrade these facilities even more,” Mrs Gilbert said.

"The accommodation we use for athletes usually gets turned into student accommodation. How great would that be to have top quality student accommodation to add to the existing accommodation we already have?

"The ongoing benefits live on for years after the event leaves. It would also put the Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday region on the international map, our region would be beamed across the world and that would see increased visitors to our region.”

Mrs Gilbert said her Mackay Olympic bid had the backing of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

"(The premier) thinks it's a great idea and she loves the idea of bringing people out to the regions,” Mrs Gilbert said.

The idea for a netball exhibition event was described by Mackay Netball Association life member Lyn Law as a "fantastic” opportunity.

"We definitely need to have our facilities across regional Queensland upgraded and I think bringing this to a regional area is a great initiative,” she said.

Originally published as OLYMPIC BID: Bold plan to secure top level sport