Olympics 2032: Hundreds of Qld businesses could benefit

Queensland businesses would get first bite at supplying the 2032 Olympics if the southeast’s bid is successful. It comes as the president of the International Olympic Committee sent a heartwarming congratulatory message to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk after her re-election. SEE WHAT’S UP FOR GRABS

Hundreds of Sunshine State businesses will be given the opportunity to help build the stadiums and roads and provide key resources for the 2032 Olympics, as part of a “Queensland first’’ strategy likely to be ratified by the International Olympic Committee.

Under the new procurement agreement designed by the Australian Olympic Committee, Queensland companies would be given first preference at providing hundreds of services, from torch design to the opening and closing ceremony fireworks.

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It would create a jobs bonanza, with AOC estimates suggesting the Olympics could create 10,000 full-time employees in southeast Queensland alone.

The boon for the economy came as International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach sent a heartwarming congratulatory message to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk after her re-election.

In the letter he said: “I still have fond memories of our meeting at Olympic House in September last year.

“The International Olympic Committee is looking forward to continuing our close and fruitful co- operation with you, your government and the AOC … in view of the candidature of Brisbane to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.’’

The IOC’s new Games funding model means it will be cost-neutral for the host country.

As much as 80 per cent of the Games venues are already built in southeast Queensland.

A 2032 Olympics in Queensland would, however, accelerate much needed transport infrastructure, including duplicating the Gold Coast section of the M1.

It’s understood the IOC has particularly noted Queensland’s world-leading response to COVID-19.

AOC president John Coates said yesterday he believed a decision on the 2032 Olympics could be “sooner rather than later’’.

“The very last possibility (of a decision) is Beijing in February 2022, but it could be as early as mid next year,’’ he said.

The IOC is also hearing 2032 bids from Qatar, India and Indonesia.

The IOC will not be conducting a traditional head-to-head candidature process.

Instead, it will “invite’’ the best candidate to accept the host role after exhaustive consultation.

The Federal Government’s Olympic Games representative, Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien, said the Government was ready and able to help with the Queensland bid.

He said the Queensland-first procurement strategy was about creating long-lasting employment

legacies.

“The infrastructure requirements are significant and that is another legacy that we obviously want to push,’’ he said.