Sunshine Coast Mayor slams state government over Olympic committee exclusion

One of the two experienced mayors excluded from the Brisbane Olympic Games organising committee has slammed the state government, saying some MPs were only seeking to “boost their own profiles”.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson has called for him and firebrand colleague Tom Tate to have a greater say in the planning of the Olympic Games and slammed the state for excluding the two experienced leaders.

The Sunday-Mail this week revealed Mr Tate, Mayor of the Gold Coast, and Mr Jamieson were set to hold a seat on the Brisbane Olympic Games organising committee before the state government walked back a previous agreement.

The Sunshine Coast mayor – whose community will host eight Olympic events and build an athletes’ village – has sensationally slapped down state and federal colleagues for attempting to exclude local government after Brisbane won the Games.

“The fact that local government was unilaterally pushed down the order is a great disappointment,” he said.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson.

“For good reason the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, who are two key delivery partners should be represented on the organising committee board.

“(Sports Minister) Stirling Hinchliffe and the federal members of the original Brisbane organising committee board conveniently sought to limit and minimise the involvement of local government because they clearly saw a great opportunity to boost their own profiles off the hard work of others.”

Mr Jamieson – who in late 2014 was among the first Queenslanders to start lobbying for the Olympic Games – said organisers had so far forgotten the original reason for the bid.

He said the Council of Mayors pushed for the Olympic Games as a catalyst for “increased investment in transportation around South East Queensland”.

He said there was now “no co-ordinated plan” about how legacy infrastructure would be delivered and feared political bickering would interfere with planning.

“If we do not deliver that legacy we have failed out communities,” he said.

“My great concern for the organising committee board is that we have had, up until the recent change and election of the Albanese government, people who demonstrated they couldn’t work well together.”

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Richard Gosling

Mr Jamieson said he refrained from following Mr Tate and criticising the exclusion from the organising committee, preferring to instead focus on the council’s planning for the Games.

“We will be the newest Olympic city on the map and given the investment that will be made by our community … in the lead-up and preparation for this it’s going to be a major undertaking for council,” he said.

“I feel proud of my personal role but also the role of the Council of Mayors in undertaking what was a pretty challenging exercise.”