‘Unleashed’: Qld Academy of Sport gets its independence

Queensland Academy of Sport will be unshackled from government bureaucracy and become a stand-alone agency in a major split prompted by a controversial resignation.

Queensland Academy of Sport will be unshackled from government bureaucracy and become a stand-alone agency in a major split prompted by the controversial exit of its high-profile chief executive officer.

Premier Steven Miles, following advocacy by The Courier-Mail, revealed he would start the process of severing the Queensland Academy of Sport from the state government.

Establishing the academy as an independent agency will allow it to make decisions quicker and focus exclusively on breeding high-performance athletes.

Queensland State Athletics Juniors at QSAC. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Calls for QAS to breakaway from the government were prompted by the high-profile resignation of chief executive Chelsea Warr – dubbed the “gold medal maker” – who was understood to have been at loggerheads with executives within the Department of Sport.

Mr Warr sensationally announced her resignation “to pursue other opportunities” in February – just five months before the Paris Olympic Games – following a meeting with Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport Director-General Andrew Hopper.

Ms Warr had pushed, without success, to have the academy operate as an entity separate from government.

Losing the nationally-renowned institute from his control is a major blow to Mr Hopper and paves the way for Ms Warr to return.

That prospect was backed by Mr Miles, who in May said he would welcome “her continuing to make a contribution”.

Ms Warr said it was a “game changing decision” by Mr Miles and would benefit athletes.

“It will unlock tremendous potential within the QAS to provide even better, more agile and innovative support to our athletes competing on a global stage that is increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving,” she said.

“This decision has never been more important than in the run up to staging a successful Brisbane 2032 Games and our aspirations to have Queensland, and Australian athletes winning, inspiring future generations and uniting our communities like sport so powerfully can.

“I look forward to seeing more detailed plans of how this decision, and the new entity, will be brought to life.”

Legislation to split the academy will be introduced to parliament in early 2025, with the full separation to take up to two years.

Chelsea Warr, the former CEO of QAS. Photo: Steve Pohlner.

It has been backed by Olympic champion Cate Campbell and Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett – who advocated for the move.

“High performance requires innovation and agility, the ability to adapt and react quickly,” Campbell said.

“The creation of this statutory body will ensure that the QAS can remain at the forefront of high performance in sport.”

Bennett welcomed the move to “unleash” QAS.

“I cannot wait to see what the QAS continues to deliver for our Queensland and Australian athletes in the build up to 2032 under a new statutory body after a thorough process led by the premier has given sport in this state a good boost,” he said.

A new chief executive officer will drive QAS operations and a chairman would guide strategic vision, compliance with regulations and achievement of performance targets.

QAS’s operations are expected to continue as normal while the severance occurs, Mr Miles said. 

Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre.

“The Queensland Academy of Sport is central to many sporting achievements of our athletes and I want to make sure that continues,” he said. 

“The new independent statutory body will ensure the Queensland Academy of Sport remains at the heart of sport in Queensland and is guided by, and for, elite athletes with the best facilities available.”

“In its inaugural year, the Queensland Academy of Sport supported the likes of Susie O’Neill and Kieren Perkins … and now, there are a record number of Queenslanders on their way to Paris to compete on the world stage.”

QAS’s nation-leading gym facilities remain at risk of demolition, however, under the state government’s plan to bulldoze the western grandstand at Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, where it is located. 

Former Australian Institute of Sport chief executive Peter Conde

Former Olympian Kieran Perkins was supported by the Queensland Academy of Sport.

This decision is indeed a watershed moment for Queensland sport and one that firmly establishes the foundation for QAS to best serve sports, Queensland’s top athletes and our future world-class athletes, all the way to the 2032 Games and well beyond,” he said.

“Great, transformative work has been done over the past three years and this Government decision will cement QAS’s position as the leading state sport academy and institute in the country and as a true world leader.”

Mr Conde argued the change to ensure QAS was overseen by an “appropriately skilled board” would allow it to better act with agility and flexibility.