Annastacia Palaszczuk invites boyfriend to key meeting as Olympics planning begins

The Premier’s decision to invite her boyfriend into the first face-to-face meeting between Brisbane Olympics organisers and senior members of the IOC has been criticised, after it was claimed no one else brought their partners along. HAVE YOUR SAY IN OUR POLL

Annastacia Palaszczuk has raised eyebrows after the Queensland Premier invited her boyfriend into the first face-to-face meeting between Brisbane Olympics organisers and senior members of the International Olympic Committee on Sunday.

The Premier’s partner, surgeon Reza Adib, tagged along to the one-hour meeting at the Sofitel in Sydney – which included IOC president Thomas Bach, ­outgoing and new Australian Olympic Committee presidents John Coates and Ian Chesterman, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, and the boss of the Brisbane 2032 organising committee, Andrew ­Liveris.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach walks with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at the Sofitel Hotel in Sydney, with the Premier’s partner Reza Adib seen standing in the background. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

The printed attendee list, seen by The Courier-Mail, did not include Dr Adib – ­despite confirmation later from the Premier’s office that he had been in attendance at the invitation of Ms Palaszczuk.

Photographs also show Dr Adib sitting in the meeting at a boardroom-style table, where attendees have in front of them a printed agenda and writing pads. Dr Adib is seated next to the chief executive of the Australian Olympic Committee, Matt Carroll, who in turn is next to Mr Chesterman, and then Mr Liveris.

Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie said he was stumped by the photos published by The Courier-Mail, saying they begged questions she should answer.

“I’ve just got to say, it’s just a bit weird, the whole thing is weird,” Mr Bleijie said at a press conference on Monday morning.

“No one else had their partners at the meeting.

“The Premier’s fobbing it off today, or the Premier’s spokesperson is fobbing it off today by saying it was an informal meeting.”

But there was nothing informal about the International Olympic Committee, the Brisbane Olympic Committee, the Brisbane Lord Mayor and government ministers coming together for a meeting, he said.

The deputy opposition leader said it was “just not appropriate” to the significance of the event to take a spouse and seat him at the official table.

“I’ve seen the photo of them at the table, there were minutes, there were papers, it was a properly-prepared, formal meeting with very important people and the Premier’s boyfriend was at the table,” Mr Bleijie said.

“So I’m just saying, I looked at it and I just think, why was the Premier’s boyfriend granted a position at the table?

“He shouldn’t have been there.”

The Premier’s partner, surgeon Reza Adib, could be seen at the boardroom-style table. He is pictured far left. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Pointing to the fact the Premier had done no press conferences since she returned from three weeks holiday dealing with the health or housing crises, Mr Bleijie said it appeared Ms Palaszczuk “always looks for the limelight” at the expense at dealing with the issues that are important to Queenslanders.

The Premier’s spokesman played down the extraordinary inclusion when asked about it on Sunday night, insisting the meeting was nothing more than an “informal catch-up”.

But The Courier-Mail has been told others turned up expecting a formal occasion, with an agenda circulated.

“Attendees were at the invitation of the president and Premier,” a spokesperson for Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Nothing confidential was discussed.”

Formally representing the Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics Organising Committee at the meeting were Ms Palaszczuk, Mr Schrinner, Mr Liveris, Brisbane City Council chief executive Colin Jensen, and the Premier’s go-to bureaucrat for the Games, Kerry Petersen, the associate director-general of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

The IOC delegates were Mr Bach, Mr Coates, Brisbane 2032 co-ordinating committee chair Kirsty Coventry, and five other executives.

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s boyfriend Reza Adib was also in a photo with the Olympics organisers. He is pictured second from the right. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

The IOC delegation will from Tuesday have a three-day tour of the proposed venues for the Brisbane Games – from the Gabba to the Gold Coast and the Glass House Mountains.

As a host nation, many are hoping cricket would be recommended as a new addition to the Olympics for 2032.

But Mr Bach said sports that were “well appreciated” by younger generations would be a focus when deciding what sports would be included – a hint that e-sports, or gaming, could even be featured.