‘End the vanity, fix the state’: Ex-Labor boss unleashes on Olympics bungle

A senior Labor figure has urged Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to ditch the 2032 Olympics and refocus on fixing major issues facing Queenslanders.

• Milner: ‘Not important’

Labor heavyweight Cameron Milner has demanded Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk end her Olympic Games “vanity project” and instead focus on fixing the government and tackling cost of living.

In another significant strike against Ms Palaszczuk’s leadership, the former Queensland Labor state secretary and Right faction stalwart said it was time for Ms Palaszczuk to reflect on whether the Olympics were in the best interests of the state.

His intervention comes amid a stunning war between the state and Brisbane City Council over who should pay for infrastructure – a battle which on Monday prompted the Senate to extend its powerful inquiry into the 2032 Games until October.

“Voters are genuinely questioning the benefit when our government services are already at breaking point or beyond,” Mr Milner said.

“Queensland needs to call time out and reassess whether this is really what our state needs.

“The federal government, even with its wrong priorities and financial profligacy, has called time on throwing more money at this Olympics vanity project … the Lord Mayor of Brisbane has called time on his ratepayers being any further inconvenienced.”

Former Labor state secretary Cameron Milner

Mr Milner was Labor’s secretary during Peter Beattie’s premiership and remains a loud voice in the party’s right faction – of which Ms Palaszczuk also belongs.

He questioned the billions of dollars being spent by the Premier on new venues to appease the International Olympic Committee during a time of “crippling” inflation and cost of living challenges.

“The city and our state must have a vision for its place that doesn’t need the endorsement of an organisation with opaque politics based in Switzerland,” he said

“The price of the Olympics does not just stop with the construction bill. So the Olympic committee politicians, their entourages and hangers-on can get from cocktails to hors d’oeuvres in their stretch limos, Brisbane will be expected to suffer even more congestion and inconvenience while they visit.

“They live the lives of those from the Capital of Panem while the rest of us are enduring our very own hunger games and trying to make ends meet and pay the next bill.”

Ms Palaszczuk on Monday intervened to broker a peace deal between the state government and city hall.

Relations between Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and the state plunged to new lows at the weekend when Mr Schrinner accused the state of attempting to extort ratepayers for some $50m of the $137m needed to upgrade the RNA Showgrounds.

Mr Schrinner’s subsequent resignation for an intergovernmental forum on the 2032 Games then prompted Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe to label the Lord Mayor’s actions “bewildering”.

Annastacia Palaszczuk celebrates after Brisbane was announced as the 2032 Olympics host.

Ms Palaszczuk – who travelled to Tokyo with Mr Schrinner in 2021 to see Brisbane appointed host city and has since enjoyed a close relationship with the Lord Mayor – on Monday acknowledged the “very disappointing” events at the weekend.

“Well look, these things happen,” she said.

“There’s council elections coming up and the people will say things and do things that they perceive to be in their best interest coming up to an election.

“I will extend the hand of friendship there and say I’m more than happy to sit down and speak.”

It’s understood Mr Schrinner has reciprocated with an olive branch to meet with Ms Palaszczuk.

Ms Palaszczuk insisted Mr Hinchliffe had not bungled the RNA Showgrounds announcement and denied her role as Olympics minister meant she should have led consultation with the council and stakeholders.

“I can’t do every single thing,” she said.

“I have ministers, I have very capable ministers that are out there that have portfolios and some of those portfolios are to assist me in those duties.”

The battle between the state and council has also prompted the Senate to vote to extend its inquiry into hosting an Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has refused to commit ratepayer funds to the government’s Gabba alternative plan

After an eight-month probe the committee was due to report its final findings on Wednesday, however it will now be extended to October 31 – days after the next state election.

Queensland Senator and committee member Matt Canavan said the extension would allow the inquiry to probe the state government’s Olympics infrastructure program.

“The Games seem to have completely collapsed and we need now to work out what the hell is going on,” Senator Canavan said.

“Up until a week ago it seemed all levels of government were working co-operatively together … we can’t afford to let the planning of the Games continue to slip.”

Senator Canavan argued the state’s previous management of taxpayer dollars required “strong oversight”.

“I fear part of the disarray is due to the Premier’s decision to centralise decision making in her office – there needs to be consideration for the establishment of an independent infrastructure authority,” he said.

“The state government is drunk with cashflow from coal – so much money from the coalmining industry and they’ve lost what the value of money is.”

Council of Mayors chief executive officer Scott Smith called for stakeholders to refocus on the purpose of the Games, to enhance Brisbane’s transport infrastructure.

“We want to see a stronger focus on why we secured the Games in the first place, and how we accelerate new transport and infrastructure to support 2.2 million new residents in South East Queensland over the next 20 years,” he said.

Originally published as ‘End the vanity, fix the state’: Ex-Labor boss unleashes on Olympics bungle