Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk snubbed from Opening Ceremony speech list
QUEENSLAND premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been denied a speech at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.
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QUEENSLAND Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been left off the official speaking schedule for the opening ceremony of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
It’s led to claims she’s been snubbed and is fuming that no Queensland representative will be part of the official ceremony when Prince Charles opens the Games next Wednesday.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which made the decision, said in a statement to The Courier-Mail that “it is critical that these Games remain unpoliticised”.
Former Queensland premier Peter Beattie, who is now head of the Gold Coast Games organising committee, will have a speaking role, as will the CGF president Louise Martin, who is from Scotland.
Mr Beattie said the host city agreement signed in 2011 gave the CGF final say on opening and closing ceremony arrangements.
“I’ve made representations the Premier should speak, that was my recommendation, but the CGF has made a decision she should not,” Mr Beattie told The Courier-Mail.
“I respect their decision. I’ve offered to give up my spot to the Premier on a number of occasions, but that’s entirely a matter for the CGF, nothing to do with me.”
Ms Palaszczuk tried to play down the situation.
“This is the Gold Coast and Queensland’s time to shine and as Premier of the host state, if the situation had been different, of course I would have loved to have given a very warm Queenslander welcome at the opening ceremony,” she told The Courier-Mail.
A CGF statement said: “As the CGF has stated at every Gold Coast 2018 Coordination Commission visit, it is critical that these Games remain unpoliticised.”
The CGF executive is expected to meet on Thursday to discuss a possible speaking role for Ms Palaszczuk at the closing ceremony alongside Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate as part of the handover to Birmingham.
— AAP
Originally published as Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk snubbed from Opening Ceremony speech list
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