Gabba rebuild ‘for AFL, cricket’ more than Olympics: AOC boss
A Senate inquiry into the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games has erupted as the organising committee’s chief executive was grilled over her remuneration package.
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A tense exchange has erupted between a Senate committee and the woman responsible for delivering Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic Games over how much she is paid to do the job.
At a Senate Inquiry into the preparedness of the Games, Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie asked Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee chief executive Cindy Hook to provide her total remuneration package.
Ms Hook questioned the relevance of the question, prompting Senator McKenzie to declare: “I am the Senator, I can ask the question.”
Ms Hook and organising committee general counsel Paula Robinson noted financial statements were being audited ahead of the reporting deadline at the end of September.
“There’s no reason you can’t answer the question,” Senator McKenzie said.
“I am not prepared to wait until your annual report.”
It prompted Ms Hook to hit back, asking; “are you questioning my capability as a CEO?”
With tension rising, Senator McKenzie declared it a routine question.
“If you had a chance to ever look at our Senate estimates process we ask heads of Commonwealth agencies all the time … so it’s not an unusual question,” she said.
Ms Hook agreed to take the question on notice.
The former Deloitte Australia chief executive acknowledged some community members would be affected by the Games, but said the organising committee would seek to “minimise negative impacts and create maximum opportunity”.
“There will be inconveniences hosting an event of this size,” she said.
“This is not a period of years, it’s a period of months.
Ms Hook also revealed the organising committee was developing a reconciliation action plan and working on a position on the Voice.
She insisted appropriate measures were in place to ensure infrastructure would be delivered, but cautioned against “doing too much too soon”.
“I’ve had it put to me the extended runway will be either a blessing or a curse,” she said.
Community divided over Gabba redevelopment
State Development Director-General Mike Kaiser acknowledged the $2.7bn Gabba redevelopment had divided the community.
“Lots of people have an opinion about this, we’ve based our plan on solid evidence from experts who tell us the Gabba is at the end of its life,” he said.
“We also looked at four options, believe me the Queensland government does not want to spend money it doesn’t have to spend.
“The value for money outcome is a tear down and rebuild.”
Mr Kaiser said the second-cheapest option to refurbish the Gabba would cost $2.2bn and “would have denied us the opportunity to integrate it into the surrounding community”.
He acknowledged, however, the major project, “like any house renovation … comes with considerable risk” as plans change.
AOC boss grilled over $2.7bn Gabba rebuild
Australian Olympic Committee boss Matt Carroll was grilled over the necessity of the Palaszczuk government’s decision to splash $2.7 billion to rebuild the Gabba for the Olympic Games, declaring the rebuild was more for “AFL and cricket”.
Facing the Senate Inquiry, Mr Carroll was peppered with questions about whether the International Olympic Committee required the stadium to be razed for the four-week event.
“The IOC does not require you to build new venues unless you really need it,” he told the committee.
“The reconstruction for the Gabba is for AFL and cricket, both before and after the Games … it’s primary construction is for those sports. The decision to renovate, build and reconstruct the Gabba is not just for the Olympics.”
Mr Carroll’s comments led to a to-and-fro with Greens Senator Penny Allman-Payne, who asked: “Would it be fair to say the decision to knock down the Gabba and rebuild it is not actually optimising the master plan, but incurring a huge cost of $2.7 billion that’s not actually required?”
Mr Carroll said it was “necessary” for the Olympics to have a venue capable of hosting athletics.
“Governments make decision above and beyond the Olympic Games – we’re four weeks,” he said.
“What that something looks like, how it pans out for the broader community, is a matter for government.”
Mr Carroll was also questioned about the committee’s support for the Queensland Government to insert Brisbane 2032 Co-ordination Office – responsible for Games-related infrastructure – in-house, noting it had already received the blessing of the IOC.
“That was done through a fairly extensive consultation with all the Games partners,” he said.
“They met with all the Games partners including the Commonwealth and the result of those discussions was the model that has been accepted.
“It still needs to be approved by the IOC … they are confident in the transparency and working with the organising committee to put on the Games.”
Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie also raised concerns about the slow rollout of transport connectivity projects ahead of the Games, noting the Albanese government’s deferral of funding for the Maroochydore rail extension and Gold Coast faster rail put the projects “at risk”.
“We’re very concerned both by the profiling of the money being kicked out into the long grass … and are subject to review, confident,” Senator McKenzie said.
Mr Carroll insisted the projects would be delivered on time and as promised to the IOC.
“We are confident because that is what we’re warranted to the IOC for hosting the Games,” she said.
“We’ll work with the co-ordination office to achieve those outcomes.”
Friends of Raymond Park founder Melissa Occhipinti also fronted the committee, declaring fears remained about a lack of consultation about the park being used as a warm-up track for athletics.
“The park is the lung of our community,” she said.
Ms Occhipinti said the installation of an athletics warm-up track and then its removal after the Games would see “locals locked out for years”.
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