Premier: ’I don’t think BCC and SEQ Council of Mayors has expertise to deliver Games’

Annastacia Palaszczuk has poured cold water on the ability of the Southeast Queensland Council of Mayors to deliver an Olympic Games without State and Federal help, ahead of her meeting with IOC boss Thomas Bach.

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk has poured cold water on the ability of the Southeast Queensland Council of Mayors to deliver an Olympic Games without State and Federal help.

Ms Palaszczuk will meet with IOC boss Thomas Bach tonight on the Gold Coast to discuss a potential 2032 games bid.

But she is loath to commit outright insisting several things need to be sorted out like how much the Federal Government will kick in, how big the stadiums needs to be and how it can be held across the state and not just in the southeast.

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“I don’t think Brisbane City Council or the South East Queensland Council of Mayors has the expertise to deliver an Olympic Games so unless its done with all three levels working together it simply won’t happen,” Ms Palaszczuk said this morning ahead of her meeting.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk: “I don’t think Brisbane City Council or the South East Queensland Council of Mayors has the expertise to deliver an Olympics Games”. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Peled

“I think tonight is a listening exercise. It’s a chance to get to know Thomas Bach, to have a chat to him and other members of the Olympic Committee,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“The issues I want to discuss tonight include what size are the stadiums.

“What we have seen with the Commonwealth Games, we were able to bump in structures and we are seeing that happening in Tokyo as well.

“I just don’t think Queenslanders are going to accept a bid that is solely based on the southeast.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach. Picture: Patrick Hamilton/AFP

“I have said very clearly it would have to make sure that other parts of Queensland including regional Queensland are involved.

“There needs to be a substantial Federal Government contribution.

“We are not going to hear about that until after the federal election.

“These are very early stages. I am looking forward to the discussion and then of course Cabinet will meet in the future to discuss these issues at length.”

SEQ Council of Mayors chairman and Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the body had never wavered from a collaborative approach with the State and Federal governments.

“We think our communities want to see all levels of government working together as we move forward in our Olympic investigations,” he said.

“The SEQ mayors held discussions with the IOC president that showed us how committed the IOC are to ensuring future Olympic Games are not only financially sound, but also provide positive momentum for cities and regions to reach their long-term social, environmental and economic goals.”