Paralympic athletes ask Annastacia Palaszczuk to include ‘paralympics’ in her ministerial title

Annastacia Palaszczuk has bowed to pressure after an open letter from Paralympic athletes pleading for the Premier and Olympics Minister to rethink her title. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Australia’s Paralympic athletes have taken the unprecedented step of issuing an open letter pleading for Premier and Olympics Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk to reverse her long-held objection to including the word “Paralympics” in her ministerial title.

After months of requests for the change behind closed doors were rebuffed by Ms Palaszczuk, the Paralympics Australia Athletes’ Commission has gone public, asking Ms Palaszczuk to make the change to “reflect the importance of both events for Brisbane 2032”.

Ms Palaszczuk has been asked repeatedly in recent months if she would include Paralympics in her new title, but has consistently refused to, saying Australian Olympic Committee boss John Coates told her to use “Minister for the Olympics”.

The letter says the change would reflect “current societal expectations”, as well as the wording used by the government regarding the 2032 Games.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and John Coates. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“A change in title would also appropriately reflect the Queensland Government’s commitment to promote greater inclusion, diversity, and accessibility in the planning and delivery of these Games as laid out in the submission to the IOC for the Brisbane 2032 Games,” it stated.

Paralympics Australia president Jock O’Callaghan said the absence of “Paralympics” from Ms Palaszczuk’s title was “at odds with everything we’ve committed to do with the 2032 Games”, and that “everything else had been tried” before the decision was taken by the athletes to go public with their request.

“As the leader of the Paralympic movement in this country I’m really quite dismayed that they need to speak out publicly to one of the most senior leaders in the country for recognition in such a simple but symbolic way,” he said.

“This is very uncomfortable for them and it simply shouldn’t be. This is at odds with everything we are committed to do in planning an incredible legacy from these Games.

“Most importantly I am feeling for the Paralympic athletes, because they shouldn’t have reached the point where they felt they were being ignored, and where they felt like they had no other choice.”

Mr O’Callaghan said in other ways, Australia’s recognition of its Paralympics was a source of “awe and envy” in the global Paralympic movement.

“The fact a Paralympian is the Australian of the Year, the fact that a Paralympian has just been appointed chair of such a critical national body as the NDIA, the fact the Paralympian team is our most loved national sporting team,” he said.

Paralympics Australia president Jock O’Callaghan.

“They look on with awe and envy yet when they hear about this issue, how can they not be sitting there scratching their heads?”

In October last year Ms Palaszczuk appointed herself Minister for the Olympics, with Deputy Premier Steven Miles named Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympics infrastructure.

Tourism and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe was the only one of three ministers to have Paralympics included in their new ministerial title, when he was named Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympics and Paralympics Sport and Engagement.

Shortly after giving herself the new title Ms Palaszczuk was asked in parliament that given she was now Minister for the Olympics “who was the Minister for the Paralympics?”, which she said was “very good question”.

“I contacted John Coates, the President of the AOC, and asked him about the terms of the title ‘Minister for the Olympics’ and whether it should include ‘and the Paralympics’,” she said.

“He said no, as it is recognised to be the Minister for the Olympics.

“When we appointed the two assistant ministers, I deliberately put ‘Paralympic sports’ in the title of the Minister for Sport. Of course, I will be looking after both and I will be assisted by the Deputy Premier and the Minister for Sport.

“I want to make sure that the House knows that I did seek that advice from Mr Coates, the head of the AOC, before confirming the titles.”

Mr O’Callaghan said while Mr Coates had done fantastic work for the Olympics, it “would have been great if someone in the Paralympics movement was consulted on that”.

He also noted the French Minister for Sport Amelie Oudea-Castera was appointed the Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, ahead of the Paris 2024 Games.

In February, Ms Palaszczuk doubled down on her reasoning when she was again asked, on the Toward the Games Olympics podcast, why Paralympics did not appear in her ministerial title.

She repeated it was the advice of Mr Coates.

Following Wednesday’s publication of the open letter, a spokesperson for Ms Palaszczuk initially told The Courier-Mail she “looks forward to discussing the request when she meets with the president of Paralympics Australia next week”.

However Ms Palaszczuk tweeted soon after saying she would make the change:

Paralympians have asked me to add ‘Paralympics’ to my title. I’m happy to do that and it will be changed by the end of the year.

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) September 28, 2022