LNP axes five executives from Stadiums Queensland board including longtime chair Cathy McGuane

New appointments to a Queensland board key to the organisation of the 2032 Brisbane Games have been revealed after a shock purge of members was announced on Friday morning.

Minister for Sport and Racing Tim Mander. Picture: Steve Pohlner

A majority of executives on the Stadiums Queensland board have been dumped by the state government in a surprise upheaval at the organisation key to steering the state toward the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

As revealed earlier by The Courier-Mail, five of the seven board members at Stadiums Queensland, including long-time chair Cathy McGuane, have been ejected from their roles.

Sport Minister Tim Mander on Friday morning revealed his five new picks for the board.

Cathy McGuane from Stadiums Queensland. Picture: Richard Walker

The new appointees with sporting ties include Paralympian and current AFL Wheelchair Queensland head coach Michael Dobbie-Bridges, and former Wallabies captain and BMS group managing director Stephen Moore AM.

North Queensland businesswoman Debra Rains, former Noosa Mayor and recent LNP candidate Clare Stewart and FleetCrew executive director and co-founder Mary-Ann Strelow round off the new appointments.

Some of those board members sacked were linked to Labor - Australian Workers Union secretary Stacey Schinnerl and Townsville-based former Labor staffer Stephanie Naunton.

But three others, including chair Cathy McGuane, developer Peter Hyland, and former Socceroo turned businessman Adam Sarota, have no links to the party.

The decision comes less than a month after the LNP government’s first wave of board purges, with more than half a dozen Labor or union-linked executives sacked from boards at that time.

The overhaul at Stadiums Queensland leaves just two existing board members —tourism and hospitality executive John Warn, and business executive Brendan O’Farrell.

It means the new board will come in at a critical time for the state’s stadium infrastructure, with the government part way through a major review of Games venues.

The state is also in a race against time to build more than $100bn of major infrastructure before the 2032 Games, despite being handed an unprecedented 11-year runway by the International Olympic Committee.

Australian Workers Union secretary Stacey Schinnerl. Picture: Contributed

Mr Mander said the overhaul was a reflection of the government’s “dedication to ensuring our state remains a global leader in sport and entertainment.

“The new appointees bring diverse expertise and a shared commitment to ensure Queensland’s iconic venues deliver world-class and host key sporting events experiences leading up to and beyond 2032,” he said.

“That experience includes a former Paralympian, a former Wallabies Captain, a former Mayor who was also on the board of the Brisbane Organising Committee for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and a wealth of business acumen which will hold the future in good stead.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of each of the outgoing Board members, in particular Ms McGuane the outgoing Chairperson.”

Existing member Mr Warn will step up as board chair.