Palaszczuk v Mayors in latest Olympic Games bust-up

Two of the state’s most powerful mayors have slammed the Palaszczuk government as secret documents reveal how the pair were dudded out of a seat on the 2032 Olympics organising committee.

Powerful mayors of Queensland’s two largest regions were refused a seat on Brisbane’s Olympic Games organising committee despite a previous promise they would be involved in planning the once-in-a-generation event.

A worsening spat between Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate and his southeast Queensland colleagues has threatened the unity of planning the state’s Olympic Games after Mr Tate was excluded from the powerful committee organising the 2032 event.

The Sunday-Mail can now reveal the state government had agreed to a push to put Mr Tate and Sunshine Coast mayor Mark Jamieson on the organising committee, before walking back the pledge once Brisbane won the Games.

In May 2021 the Australian Olympic Committee received advice from globally-renowned firm Jones Day on the “governance issues” in the delivery of a Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

Jones Day recommended the Brisbane Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) include the mayors of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast due to the number of Olympic events hosted in their regions.

Annastacia Palaszczuk with Tom Tate and Stirling Hinchliffe at the official launch of the National Freestyle BMX Centre at Carrara on the Gold Coast. Picture: Adam Head

Mr Jamieson, a long-time supporter of the Olympics, held a spot on the Brisbane Olympic Candidature Leadership Group (OCLG) – which was tasked with leading the ultimately successful bid.

The Sunday-Mail can reveal the candidature leadership group – which included Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk – agreed Mr Tate and Mr Jamieson would have a seat on the powerful organising committee if the state won the bid.

“There is an agreement amongst the OCLG that when an OCOG is established it will include the mayor of the Gold Coast City Council which will also be the host of a number of Olympic events,” the Jones Day advice noted.

“We consider this a model worthy of following in order to maintain community support in those places and to reflect the venue use agreements to be entered into.”

However, the government backtracked on the agreement after Brisbane won the bid – excluding the two mayors and leaving Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner the only local government representative on the committee.

Mr Schrinner was ultimately able to secure another seat for a southeast Queensland mayor, who would be chosen by his colleagues.

Mayor Mark Jamieson does not hold a seat on the organising committee despite his region playing a major role in the Games. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A spokesman for the Palaszczuk government said it did not seek the advice from Jones Day and said “all Games partners were consulted during development of the legislation to establish the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee, including the City of Gold Coast”.

He noted there were now two local government representatives on the committee.

Mr Tate, a vocal critic of his exclusion from the organising committee, said leaving out the Gold and Sunshine Coast regions was “morally wrong”.

“It is absurd that myself and Mayor Jamieson are left on the bench,” he said.

“The Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast make up the bulk of the Olympic and Paralympic events, behind Brisbane.

Mr Schrinner confirmed he pushed for more local government representation on the board, but said it was a state matter.

“Of course I would have liked more mayors on the Brisbane 2032 board,” he said.

“After all, it was our region’s mayors that put us on the path towards securing the Games.”

Mr Jamieson called for more local government representation and agreed the Olympics were only going ahead because of the mayors.

“If it wasn’t for the mayors of southeast Queensland we wouldn’t even be talking about the Olympic Games,” he said.

“There is no doubt the state or federal government would have ever entertained the thought.”

An Australian Olympic Committee spokesman declined to comment on confidential discussions but said the “agreed arrangements are working well and is very happy with the ongoing efforts to prepare for and stage the best possible Games in 2032”.