Brisbane Olympics 2032: Annastacia Palaszczuk decides not to attend Opening Ceremony

Annastacia Palaszczuk has decided against joining a host of dignataries and will decline an invitation to the Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Annastacia Palaszczuk will turn down any invitation to the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games despite the chance at being one of 1000 global VIPs set to be granted an invitation from the International Olympic Committee.

A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk, who was set to be invited to the opening ceremony, said she would not attend the event.

Ms Palaszczuk had the opportunity to join U.S. First Lady Jill Biden, European royalty and members of the world’s most powerful sporting organisation at the ceremony just days after Brisbane is named the host of the 2032 Olympic Games.

She had previously insisted she would not attend any Olympic competition events and was expected to watch the opening ceremony, held at Tokyo’s near-empty National Stadium on Friday night, from her hotel room.

Queensland Premier Annastacia arriving at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Getty Images)

Rising daily Covid-19 infections across Japan has plunged the country into its fourth State of Emergency – prompting the number of people permitted to attend the opening ceremony to be slashed from 10,000 to just 1000.

Ms Palaszczuk arrived in Tokyo at 5.30am on Monday and has spent the lead-up to the announcement in her hotel.

A three-day quarantine requirement means the Premier will be permitted to move freely around designated Tokyo 2020 venues from Friday.

The 2032 host-city announcement has also added another layer of excitement in the Olympic Village, with Aussie athletes barracking for a home event.

Australian Olympic Committee Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman said the current crop of athletes realised the significance of a Queensland Games.

“Those of us who were with the organisation in Sydney and those who were around Sydney saw what that did to Australian sport in the lead up to the games and then after the games,” he said.

“This group of athletes understands the importance of the Games.

“Many of them would have been very young when they watched the Sydney Games and here they are at these games when the next ones are decided.”

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said the Tokyo 2020 Games will send a "powerful message". (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

Mr Chesterman said a Brisbane 2032 Games would allow the Australian Olympic Committee to foster the next generation of sporting superstars.

“Kids who are ten, 12 out there now are going to be in their prime come 2032 and some of the athletes here in Tokyo will be still in action in Brisbane 2032 so that’s a really exciting time for Australian sport,” he said.

“What it means mostly for us as an organisation is it gives us an 11-year runway into the games so we can really plan and drive our sports performances and really set ourselves up for a great 10 years after 2032.

“That’s something which we’re very determined to do to make sure the legacy of Brisbane rolls on for a long time to come.”

WHY BRISBANE CAN BE TRUSTED WITH THE OLYMPICS

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was pushed to turn up to the International Olympic Committee session in Tokyo “to look the members in the eye” and reassure them that the 2032 Games would be entrusted to a safe pair of hands in Brisbane.

Ms Palaszczuk’s role is to stand before the members to present a calm, committed and reliable face of the bid.

Ahead of Wednesday’s afternoon’s vote by more than 80 of the 102 IOC members currently meeting ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, the prime minister Scott Morrison will lead the short presentation about why Brisbane should win the Games.

But for the members - whose primary duty on the IOC is to award future Games - it was critical to see Ms Palaszczuk and “take comfort’’ that she and Queensland would be suitable partners for the IOC for the next decade.

“We will be working with Brisbane and Australia for 11 years and we know your country loves sport, so the questions we have is more about the government commitments around the finances, and aspects like the environment,’’ one IOC member said.

Around 20 members may vote against Brisbane.

Queensland Premier Annastacia arrives at Haneda Airport

Ms Palaszczuk arrived in Tokyo at 5.30am on Monday after weeks of uncertainty and criticism surrounding her visit. She is to spend the hours leading to the announcement quarantined with Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck in the official IOC hotel, the Okura Hotel in central Tokyo.

International Olympic Committee Vice President John Coates, a veteran of the global Olympic movement, said it was essential Ms Palaszczuk meet with IOC members before Wednesday’s host city vote.

“They want to look who they are awarding the Games to in the eyes,” he said.

“They want to know can we trust you to uphold the values of the Olympic movement … can we trust you to host the games?”

Mr Coates said the selection of a host city was the “most important” responsibility delegated to IOC members.

Members have wanted to meet Ms Palaszczuk in person because awarding the 2032 Olympics was the first under new IOC rules, where there was no expensive formal bidding competition, but rather ‘’dialogue’’ with Olympic officials.

Some opponents feel the new process where bids are invited and engage in talks with the IOC staff, rather than the old fierce bidding wars - has sidelined the importance of the members, and believe the Brisbane vote is rushed and be could be easily delayed.

Ms Palaszczuk will take the members through two videos explaining the Brisbane and Queensland plans in a 20 minute presentation. Mr Colbeck is on hand to emphasise the Australian government’s commitment to the Games.

Palaszczuk must prove Brisbane ‘can be trusted’ with the games

Over the past two years the premier and the Council of Mayors Southeast Queensland have been able to brief and talk with the IOC executive board and some members who are part of the future host commission, chaired by Norwegian member Kristin Kloster Aasen.

But tomorrow will be the first time the broader membership will hear from Ms Palaszczuk.

The IOC members have already been extensively briefed on technical details of the bid in a web hookup on the evening of June 24.

The Brisbane bid is centred around five concepts: staging a great games with athletes at the heart, delivered an effective and efficient Games; supporting local development by aligning the Games with long-term infrastructure plans; engaging the world; being sustainable and resilient by creating great partners and having good governance.

If Brisbane is awarded the Olympics, the Olympic host contract will be signed by the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Adrian Schinner, Ms Palaszczuk and Mr Coates.

If for some reason the vote is deferred, or Brisbane loses the vote, the 2032 Games will open up to other interested countries including Qatar and Budapest, and the region of North Rhine Westphalia as well as a joint North and South Korean bid.