Olympics bid to be finalised in rare secret session

Brisbane’s councillors will be asked to formalise the city’s bid for the 2032 Olympic Games next week. But the details will be kept strictly confidential.

Brisbane’s councillors will be asked to formalise the city’s bid for the 2032 Olympic Games next Tuesday in a secretive session at City Hall, to be attended by Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates.

Fears that information over potential venue sites could impact property prices in selected suburbs means details of the briefings will be kept strictly confidential, with media and the public barred from attending.

If a majority of councillors approve of the plans, it will mean Brisbane will be able to formally submit its bid for the 2032 Games to the International Olympic Committee next month.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner with the Premier during a press conference about the Olympic bid. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the last time Brisbane City Council had held one of these meetings was to discuss tenders for building the Clem7 tunnel in 2007.

“This sort of meeting only happens once every decade or so,” Cr Schrinner said.

“It will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for councillors to be part of the formal decision to go ahead with our next steps for the 2032 Olympics,” he said.

President of the Australian Olympic Committee John Coates will be among those briefing councillors. Picture: Jono Searle/Getty Images

Among those briefing councillors will be AOC president John Coates and Paralympics Australia president Jock O’Callaghan.

“This meeting will involve confidential briefings and councillors will be privy to confidential information about the preparations for the Games, including specific sites of venues and sporting facilities,” Cr Schrinner said.

“The choice of sporting venues has in many cases positive property impacts around that venue,” he said.

Despite a number of local governments expecting to host events of southeast Queensland secures the Games, it is customary for one city to place a bid to the IOC.

In the case of 2000, the tiny City of Sydney was the official bidder and needed to formalise agreements with neighbouring councils to host events.