Brisbane 2032 Games: Independent infrastructure body axed
Premier and Olympics Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk will assume control of Games infrastructure projects after scrapping a planned independent body.
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The Queensland government has walked away from creating a powerful agency that would have had a major say over the 2032 Games – with Premier and Olympics Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk’s department to take charge instead.
The Olympic Co-ordination Authority was to have sat alongside the Brisbane Organising Committee as a principal delivery entity for the Games, and involve all three levels of government.
But Deputy Premier Steven Miles – the minister assisting the Premier on Games infrastructure – revealed on Thursday that the OCA would not go ahead after months of speculation, with an in-house agency to instead be established within the state government.
In a move that tightens Ms Palaszczuk’s grip on the Games, her department will be responsible for overall co-ordination, while Mr Miles’s department will be in charge of infrastructure.
“These are projects that the government delivers all of the time,” Mr Miles said, as he denied the shake-up would lead to less transparency.
“And we have very capable people able to do that within those agencies.
“The arrangements that we have made though with the Queensland government solely leading and delivering the Gabba build means there is no need for a whole new bureaucracy.”
In a submission to the International Olympic Committee before Brisbane was awarded the Games, it was proposed the OCA would include federal, Queensland and council representatives.
The government insists it is maintaining this commitment, because the in-house agency had been agreed to in-principle with Games partners, which include councils and the Commonwealth.
The submission detailed a range of responsibilities the OCA would have taken on, including assuring the availability of all the infrastructure and venues for the Games.
It also would have been responsible for co-ordinating and overseeing all Games-related government services and overseen transport and the legacy for the event.
Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee president Andrew Liveris said the state government would lead the venue and infrastructure delivery.
“We have been party to these discussions, which are ongoing, and understand the Queensland government’s reasoning for establishing an internal co-ordination office to lead this program,” he said.
“We are confident the final governance model will contain forums which include the Organising Committee and other Games delivery partners so that key decision-makers are at the table.
LNP deputy leader Jarrod Bleijie said there would be no transparency if the co-ordinating agency went in-house.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk would win a gold medal for arrogance,” he said.
“This is all about Annastacia Palaszczuk not being able to let go of the limelight.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office and Infrastructure Minister Catherine King’s office did not respond to questions before deadline.
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