Comment: Let’s celebrate Queensland, we did it!

Figures from across Queensland’s political and business landscape are in full agreement - Brisbane will ­deliver one of the greatest Games in history. READ THEIR VIEWS HERE

That beautiful moment last night when Brisbane was awarded the 2032 Olympics will stand forever alongside Matilda’s wink almost 40 years ago as a defining moment in our state’s proud history.

Those Commonwealth Games in 1982 where the 13m-tall kangaroo Matilda stole the show at the opening ceremony are regarded as a critical turning point in our history – as the moment when we realised what we should have known all along; that we Queenslanders can match it with the best.

You can draw a straight line from that unforgettable wink to the pride of our World Expo 88, and onwards through the ­enlightenment of the 1990s and 2000s – all the way to the ­success of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and eventually to last night’s ­historic moment.

But nothing we have yet seen in our lifetime in Queensland will be on the scale of what has just happened for us.

No one moment has ever been more significant for Brisbane, with the focus of attention from a global audience from today and for the next 11 years – and onwards – something that will cap off our 40-year transformation from a big country town to a genuine world city.

But the entire state will also benefit – through tourism, yes, but also through the ability to develop new businesses and ­industries via the certainty of Olympic contracts, through ­infrastructure spending right up and down the coast, and through the development of sporting ­facilities in regional centres.

Full credit, then, to the ­vision of former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and the SEQ Council of Mayors for embarking six years ago on what seemed at that time nothing more than a pipe dream.

Well played also to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Olympic envoy, Sunshine Coast MP Ted O’Brien, for having shepherded the bid through their respective governments.

Hats off to Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates, who has proved himself perhaps our greatest ever politician in being both the architect and chief engineer of the plan to secure these Games.

And we, too, are proud of the small but significant role The Courier-Mail has played. It was our advocacy of the bid early on – alongside our colleagues at Queensland’s other News Corp newspapers – that gave our elected politicians confidence that this was going to work for them politically, particularly in the regions.

We have since then not ­wavered from our support for these Games, support built on viewing them as more than just two weeks of sporting competition a decade from now. Brisbane 2032 will be the catalyst for a decade of necessary investment that otherwise could well have fallen foul of political squabbling, and the event will set up the region – and state – for a truly golden 20 years.

As we emerge from a once-in-a-century pandemic, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity could not have come at a better time.

- By Chris Jones, Editor, The Courier-Mail

Chris Jones, Editor, The Courier-Mail.

JOHN O’NEILL - CHAIRMAN OF THE STAR ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Celebrate Queensland. Celebrate a ­momentous day.

July 21 was when Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon 52 years ago.

That same date will now go down in history as the one to launch Brisbane into the Olympic stratosphere, ­following Tokyo, Paris and Los Angeles in the line of cities to next host the Games.

The significance of the IOC decision to award the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to the Queensland capital is undeniable. Recognition, awareness, and opportunity. That’s what awaits as Brisbane joins the big league.

Congratulations to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Queensland government, and the Australian Olympic ­Committee, so wonderfully led by John Coates, for ­delivering the Sunshine State the world’s most watched and treasured event.

Kudos also to the Council of Mayors South East Queensland and to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the federal government for their ­important contributions.

The Olympics transcend sport. They can be an uplifting influence on populations and economies, but here’s the rub – the two weeks in July of 2032 must only be viewed as the midpoint in a benefits pipeline ­Brisbane and Queensland can secure from its Olympic hosting.

There is a 10-year Green and Gold runway in front of us, then a 10-year legacy to follow.

Sport will be supercharged in Queensland and Australia. The delivery of critical transport and community infrastructure can be fast-tracked. The tourism and jobs growth potential for Queensland will be substantial – and so ­important in the years after the Covid-19 pandemic.

There will be exciting ­supply chain opportunities for businesses across the entire state. Think of the Indigenous advancement opportunities. There is also the opportunity for sport to play an even more important role in public health, including the fight against obesity.

Queensland and Australia’s global reputations will also be significantly enhanced. Across the world people will come to have a better understanding of this city, the South East Queensland region more broadly, and the magnificent attractions it has on offer.

The privilege and sense of responsibility bestowed on Brisbane and Queensland must now be embraced by a unity of purpose. Local, state and federal governments have come together for this outcome. It is imperative that same philosophy is etched in the minds of all Queenslanders.

Turf wars and egos must be parked at the door. Hubris avoided at all cost. This must be a team effort on all levels. Public and private sector, communities across the state. The prize on offer is massive.

Importantly, the Olympics can serve as the catalyst for fast-tracked investments in air, road and rail infrastructure.

Connectivity will be crucial for servicing a growing ­population in SEQ – net migration to Queensland in 2020 was 90 per cent above the ­decade average – and for ensuring the experience of tourists is seamless, enjoyable, and capable of creating consideration for repeat visitation.

The Star Entertainment Group and its partners will start to open the transformational $3.6bn Queen’s Wharf development late next year. We also have two additional hotel and apartment towers under construction on the Gold Coast as part of a
$2bn-plus masterplan.

We are committed to Queensland’s tourism future, which today is even brighter after the Sunshine State ­secured the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

John O'Neill, Chairman of The Star Entertainment Group.

JOHN COATES AC - PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

WELL, we did it. Brisbane will become Australia’s third Olympic city. ­Brisbane 2032.

The years, months and weeks of planning, hard work, waiting and wondering are over. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has given Brisbane and Queensland such a ringing endorsement, I am almost lost for words. But I can say this.

I believe that Brisbane and Queensland can take advantage of this opportunity in a way that perhaps Sydney and Melbourne did not, as magnificent and innovative as those Games were in their time.

We know from the independent ­financial analyses that a benefit of $8.1bn for Queensland and $17.61bn for Australia is projected. We have talked about the Games becoming a catalyst for much needed infrastructure and the jobs and tourism that will flow to all of Queensland.

But what really excites me is the great opportunity for our children and for sport – and what sport can do for Queensland and Australia.

We have a decade of major international sporting events coming to Australia in the lead-up to the Games, and then another decade of opportunity to follow when the curtain goes down on the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

I believe sport has the capacity to tackle Australia’s intergenerational challenges, contributing to national health, wellbeing and economic growth. The opportunity is there for governments to invest in sport and realise the benefits. We have a proposal before the federal government right now that plots that path forward. Sport: Empowering Australia’s Future (10+10).

The other aspect that excites me is the capacity for our Olympic sports to plan ahead and take advantage of this 10-year green and gold runway to substantially strengthen their position in the Australian sporting landscape.

Sydney didn’t present this opportunity and subsequently our sports could not take full advantage of the great success of those Games. After yesterday’s wonderful news in Tokyo, all sports can turn their minds to what happens after 2032.

We can supercharge Australian sport to produce a new generation of Cathy Freemans and Kieren Perkins across the sporting landscape, if we address this opportunity.

A record number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes are representing their country in Tokyo this year. Imagine the possibilities for our Indigenous kids leading into 2032 and the positive impact of empowering young people now and for the ­period beyond the Brisbane Games.

Of course, the starter’s gun has only just been fired and the real work now begins. I do want to pay tribute to the mayors of South East Queensland who began this journey in 2015, for their vision. To the Queensland and Federal Governments whose belief in the power of sport has been unwavering.

The level of co-operation between all three levels of government has been unprecedented. So to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, thank you.

History beckons. The Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. It has a ring to it, yes?

John Coates is also Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee

President of the Australian Olympic Committee John Coates. Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images

ADRIAN SCHRINNER - LORD MAYOR OF BRISBANE

AND the winner is … Brisbane, Queensland.

When the Mayors of South East Queensland united to begin the Olympic journey six years ago, many scoffed at the prospect.

It was too soon after Sydney, they said.

Too hard, too expensive, too this or that.

Yet we remained confident that Brisbane, together with the growing surrounding regions of South East Queensland, could play host to the greatest sporting event on the planet.

Through hard work and dedication we eventually corralled others into joining our bold bid.

And by working collaboratively we’ve won.

Right now, it still sounds a bit surreal saying “Brisbane 2032” and knowing it’s actually going to happen.

We can all bask in the glory of last night’s decision for a bit, but the big effort that’s going to be required over the next decade to ensure we’re ready needs to start straight away.

Brisbane 2032 won’t be just another Sydney. We’re not repeating history.

Rather, we’re going to write a whole new chapter for Brisbane, one that other future host cities will be in awe of and look to replicate.

Spurred on by the Covid-19 pandemic, South East Queensland has already become a mecca for interstate migration.

But with a Games on the horizon in just over a decade plenty more people from across Australia will start to realise that Brisbane is the place to be.

Our journey needs to ensure we can both deliver a world-class event while catering for the growth that is going to occur.

The council I lead already has the ambition to ensure Brisbane is the best place in Australia to live, work and relax, while maintaining and improving our reputation as a clean, green and sustainable city. Our focus on that will only get sharper now that we have landed the Games.

The Games present an unparalleled opportunity to get all levels of government working together on a single goal, investing in the infrastructure necessary to host the Games while catering for the growth to come at the same time.

This is where a South
East Queensland City Deal will be paramount.

Now more than ever, our region needs a long-term plan to deliver critical infrastructure projects that will help people move around quicker and safer while protecting its unique characteristics.

With support from the federal government, we’re building the game-changing Brisbane Metro, a project that will now be critical to Brisbane 2032’s success.

When completed, Brisbane Metro will service 18 stations along 21km of dedicated busway with world-leading electric vehicles.

These are the kinds of investments Brisbane will need more of over the next decade and only through working together will they be delivered.

Amid our evolution into an Olympic city, we have to ensure every resident benefits.

Then Brisbane and Queensland really will be
the winner.

Brisbane Lord Mayer Adrian Schrinner.

TOM TATE - MAYOR OF GOLD COAST

WHEN our city was preparing for the GC2018 Commonwealth Games, I ensured the focus of our council was on two distinct legacy outcomes – economic and capital projects.

Of course, the 12 days of sport is amazing and the sporting abilities of our Olympians and Paralympians is truly inspirational.

In real terms, legacy to me is about one word – opportunity.

From a capital program, it is the opportunity to bring forward major infrastructure needed for our region, whether that is heavy rail, light rail, airport upgrades, new M1-style motorways or improved superyacht and tourism assets. From an economic perspective, it is the opportunity to broaden our economy with significant jobs growth in film, marine, health and knowledge, sports science and manufacturing.

A broader economy protects us and gives our kids the chance to stay here and raise their own families.

My view has not changed now we have been awarded the 2032 Olympics. I applaud the IOC for choosing our region and I applaud the organising committee that made it happen.

I know ratepayers will not want to cop an Olympics-sized hangover from any white elephant projects that may be delivered for the games.

“Since GC2018, we have ensured our venues are running at maximum capacity and that the future local, national and international sports stars are benefiting from these assets.

All this came without a Games-levy or rate increase for our residents. That’s how I’m approaching 2032.

There should be no special levy imposed on Gold Coasters to fund these games. Any financial investment we make will go into our share of major capital works that improve the liveability of our city.

As Mayor, I’ll be working direct with the state and federal ministers to strike City Deals for the Gold Coast. We have managed that through the health and knowledge precinct, various stages of light rail and emerging superyacht facilities.

I’m more than confident that we can strike City Deals that benefit the Gold Coast.

Further, I’ll ensure we maximise our international marketing off the back of this exciting announcement so billions of people across the globe know just how good the Goldie is to live, work, play and invest.

“Forget any red carpets … ours will be gold.’’

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Tertius Pickard

MARK JAMIESON - MAYOR OF SUNSHINE COAST

We often ask – “Where were you when …” – when we seek to remember great moments in history.

Well, July 21, 2021 is certainly a great moment in our history and I will always remember the day when the hosting rightsto the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games were awarded to Brisbane and Queensland.

This is the culmination of a journey I and a number of my fellow mayors have been on for over six years, since we first proposed that South East Queensland could host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

I was, in fact, the first person to meet in person with Thomas Bach, the International Olympic Committee president, in Sydneyon April 30, 2015, to outline the proposition from the SEQ Mayors.

The IOC’s announcement is, therefore, a particularly gratifying moment and helps to reinforce the importance of having a clearplan, getting the right partners on board and keeping yourself focused on the end game.

For me, our efforts over these past six years have been focused on a single objective – and that is to secure the necessaryand long overdue road and public transport infrastructure investment needed for our Sunshine Coast.

This is paramount if we are to ensure there is an enduring benefit for our residents on the Sunshine Coast and those ofSEQ.

The Coast is earmarked to stage blue-ribbon events such as the marathon.

These events provide an unparalleled opportunity to showcase the natural beauty of our Sunshine Coast on a global stage.

The euphoria of securing the Games is palpable.

Let’s now make sure our efforts over the next 11 years leave a lasting legacy.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson. Picture: Cade Mooney