2032 Olympic Games: Bitter spat over organising committee escalates
Tom Tate’s bitter war of words over the Olympic Games organising committee has escalated again, insisting it would make “absolute sense” the Gold Coast be represented. LATEST
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Tom Tate’s bitter war of words over the Olympic Games organising committee has escalated again, insisting it would make “absolute sense” the Gold Coast be represented.
Mr Tate has taken aim at Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and he defended the lack of Gold Coast representation on the board.
“As mayor, I remain open to be offered a board position on the SEQ Olympics Board as we have operational experience when it comes to delivering the 2018 games, but I’m not going to pay $350,000 year-after-year for the privilege. That’s a lot of shade sails,” he said.
“Ironically, no other mayor at the SEQ Board table has delivered an event as big as 2018 so it makes absolute sense that we should be on that board, regardless of our COMSEQ status.
“It’s inaccurate to claim that given we are not financial members of COMSEQ, we cannot be considered for a board position and the legislation clearly states that the host city mayor (Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner) has the legislative power to directly appoint a second mayor to the board.”
Mr Tate insisted the Gold Coast would not be left “disadvantaged” and would still deliver all Olympic infrastructure.
Brisbane Mayor: Gold Coast has removed itself from Olympics talks
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has been snubbed a second time for a spot on the 2032 southeast Queensland Olympics planning team, calling it “crass” and “disappointing”.
Instead, Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart will be appointed to the planning board, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced on Friday.
His previous appointee, Redlands Mayor Karen Williams, resigned after a drink driving scandal last week.
The decision means the Gold Coast has no elected official on the Olympics Board despite providing eight venues for the event. It will also host an athlete’s village at Robina.
Business identity Rebecca Frizelle is the sole city representative.
But Mr Tate said: “(Ms Frizelle) is not an elected member, she can’t pledge any cash.
“She can pledge great ideas, marketing, all that sort of stuff and I think she’s going to add tremendous strength, but it’s too much to ask that she actually represent the Gold Coast. She’s representing Australia.”
“It means when they require something in particular to be delivered by the Gold Coast, they’ll still have to come down the highway to meet with us for a decision.
“Because there can’t be a decision made on behalf of the Gold Coast. So I look forward to people knocking on our doors from time to time.”
Cr Tate said it was “crass” of Mr Schrinner to not contact him before the announcement.
“If Adrian had contacted me, I would have jumped in the car to (work it out),” he said.
“But the decision maker is him, so for him not to consult us, it says he knows everything. The arrogance of it.
“In politics if you don’t stay humble, you’re just being arrogant, pretty soon people won’t take you very seriously.
“IOC wouldn’t even know where Brisbane was without the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, let’s make that clear.”
But Mr Schrinner says Queensland councils are working as a team on 2032 Olympics planning and the Gold Coast “has chosen to remove themselves from this discussion”.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner - also the southeast Queensland Council of Mayors chair told the Bulletin late on Friday: “There are 12 councils in SEQ and 11 of them are actively working together and collaborating in the interests of our region and its residents.
“Mayor Stewart has the support of her fellow Mayors to represent them on the Brisbane 2032 organising committee.
“Regional collaboration is a team sport and this is a great example of the councils who worked together to secure the Games continuing to work together as a team in the interest of their communities.
“Gold Coast has chosen to remove themselves from this discussion. The door is always open for Gold Coast to re-join Council of Mayors (SEQ),” Mr Schrinner said.
It was tipped last week after Ms Williams’ resignation that Cr Tate or Deputy Mayor Donna Gates could be selected.
The City is likening its role with the Olympics to hosting a Commonwealth Games, estimating the bill will range between $80m to $100m.
Gold Coast venues include:
*Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre (Olympic judo and wrestling, Paralympic boccia)
*Gold Coast Stadium: (soccer preliminaries)
*Coomera Indoor Sports Centre: (Olympic volleyball, Paralympic wheelchair rugby)
*Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre: (Olympic volleyball preliminaries, weightlifting)
*Broadbeach Park Stadium: (Olympic beach volleyball, Paralympic five-a-side football)
*Southport Broadwater Parklands: (Olympic triathlon, aquatics and Paralympic triathlon)
*Olympic and Paralympic (satellite) Village
*Festival/live site
The Sunshine Coast/Noosa area will host cycling, mountain biking, long-distance running and sailing events, as well as some football and basketball matches.
It will also host marathon finals, cycling, kiteboarding and mountain biking events.
Noosa’s Ms Stewart was elected after a secret ballot of southeast Queensland mayors on Friday.
Mr Schrinner said he had advised board President Andrew Liveris that Ms Stewart had secured the support of Council of Mayors Southeast Queensland to represent the area’s councils.
“I have been in touch with Mr Liveris who is excited to welcome the Mayor and looks forward to working with her into the future,” Mr Schrinner said.
“SEQ Councils will play an important role during the Games, and I’m looking forward to
working with Mayor Stewart to ensure they are an active part of the region’s 2032 journey.”
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