Olympic supremo optimistic about Brisbane 2032 despite scepticism

John Coates has backed a move by new Premier Steven Miles to review the infrastructure needed for Brisbane’s 2032 Games as Queenslanders have their say. See the results of our exclusive survey.

Olympics supremo John Coates has backed a move by new Premier Steven Miles to review the infrastructure needed for Brisbane’s 2032 Games.

The International Olympic Committee Vice President praised Mr Miles’ decision to hold a 60-day infrastructure review and establish an independent authority to deliver infrastructure.

Mr Coates, who will end as the IOC’s first vice president after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, said “continuing education” of Queenslanders about how the 2032 Games was being paid for was critical.

He said the Miles government was being proactive in reviewing infrastructure and tipped it would help boost support for Brisbane 2032 in the community.

“The review of the masterplan has to be a serious review and I’m sure it will be,” he said.

“That might provide some outcomes that will help improve public appreciation of the Olympics … that was a good move by the government.”

Mr Coates noted the state government remained fully supportive of the 2032 Olympics and declared the move to establish an independent co-ordination authority would help transparency.

The state government under Annastacia Palaszczuk faced claims the 2032 Olympic Games had become a “vanity project” which was focused on sporting stadiums above critical community infrastructure.

A candid Mr Miles on his first day as Premier acknowledged concern the government had become “distracted” by the Olympics instead of focusing on other priorities.

Mr Coates tipped Brisbane’s enthusiasm for the 2032 Games would explode when the torch relay begins.

“It was worse in Sydney because we had a ticketing scandal, we had before that when there was a change of government and the Carr government came in they redid the masterplan,” he said.

“The sympathy changed when the Olympic torch got to Uluru and the relay started and moved throughout Australia and all Australian could feel a part of it – about 100 days out.”

Mr Coates’ comments come as The Courier-Mail’s sentiment survey of almost 7000 Queenslanders reveals a lack of enthusiasm for Brisbane hosting the global event in eight years.

Some 66 per cent of respondents said they do not support the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane, while 33 per cent said they did, according to the survey.

Fewer people say they will attend a home Olympics event, with 74 per cent of people saying they will stay away from sporting events.

A quarter of survey respondents said they intended to watch a sport at the Brisbane Olympics.

When asked if they thought the Olympics was money well spent, 78 per cent said no while 22 per cent said yes.

Developing Queensland - Brisbane Queensland Australia - January 10 2023: Woolloongabba (Gabba) stadium is seen on a summer morning. This stadium is set to welcome Brisbane Olympics summer games in 2032.

The flashpoint of Olympic Games controversy is the decision of the former Palaszczuk government to push ahead with a $2.7bn demolition and rebuild of The Gabba.

Mr Miles has moved to distance the government from the Olympic Games by declining to anoint himself the Olympics Minister and pledging a 60-day review of infrastructure.

He has also committed to establish an independent delivery authority to take infrastructure decision-making outside the government bureaucracy.

Deputy Premier Cameron Dick noted last month the “need to pause” decisions on Games infrastructure – an acknowledgment which followed Ms Palaszczuk’s controversial decision a fortnight earlier to upgrade the RNA Stadium at a cost of $137m.

State Development Minister Grace Grace has responsibility for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Her office on Thursday said the 60-day review of infrastructure commitments announced by Mr Miles had not started and a terms of reference and how it would be run has not been determined.

An announcement on the review is expected to be made early this year, however.

The Courier-Mail survey results indicate Mr Miles’ move to axe the three Olympic and Paralympic Games portfolios established by his predecessor Ms Palaszczuk will pay political dividends.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles

Mr Miles last month acknowledged the Olympics had become controversial and created a sense the government was not focused on the priorities of Queenslanders.

“The whole point of having the games was to unite Queensland and I’ve seen how divisive it had been,” he said.

“By not having a portfolio but still having a minister responsible we can demonstrate that we’re committed to using the Games as a catalyst to bring forward venues and infrastructure, particularly transport infrastructure.”

LNP Leader David Crisafulli used a Queensland Media Club speech in November to insist the opposition was supportive of the 2032 Olympic Games, but said the state government – then led by Ms Palaszczuk – as a “vanity project”.

“The focus of the Olympics should be about rail, road, a 20-year tourism vision … that has to be the focus, not on sporting facilities,” he said.