Annastacia Palaszczuk dismisses concerns over ‘once in a lifetime’ Olympic trip

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has brushed aside suggestions she shouldn’t attend the Tokyo Olympics later this month after about 30,000 people signed a petition stating she would be “stealing” hotel quarantine space when she returned home. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Annastacia Palaszczuk has been forced to defend her upcoming trip to Tokyo for Brisbane’s 2032 Olympics bid after almost 30,000 people signed a petition in protest.

A growing number of people are pushing for the federal government to not grant the Premier her travel exemption, with the petition stating she “should not be allowed to steal a precious hotel quarantine space” after advocating for arrival caps to be significantly reduced.

Ms Palaszczuk today said people were entitled to their views, which she understood, but this was the biggest opportunity that “Queensland’s ever seen”.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to have the 2032 Olympics here in Queensland,” she said.

“We’re never going to get that opportunity again and I’d hate to see it fall at the final hurdle.”

Six people, including the Premier and Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, will travel to Tokyo for the bid.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will travel to Tokyo later this month. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Ms Palaszczuk did not say what date she was returning.

Asked about people being frustrated in light of stranded Aussies wanting to get home, and the state government having insisted Queensland’s hotel quarantine scheme was bursting at the seams, Ms Palaszczuk said people should be fully vaccinated when leaving and when returning.

The Premier received her second jab last week.

She said if there were lockdowns happening in Queensland when she is due to fly to Tokyo, she won’t be travelling.

“But the delegation is the federal sports minister, the premier and the lord mayor and it has been made very clear by John Coates that it would be a disaster if the head of Queensland did not go,” she said.

“And, you know, it’s basically to go there to make the pitch, and to come back, and then spend 14 days in hotel quarantine.

“And I think it’s very important that we have that really strong representation of federal, state and local because even Thomas Bach, the head of the Olympic Committee has said, the strongest thing going for our bid is the enormous co-operation of all three levels of government.

“And just over two weeks time, we are going to learn whether or not Queensland, Brisbane will be awarded the 2032 Olympics.”

Originally published as Annastacia Palaszczuk dismisses concerns over ‘once in a lifetime’ Olympic trip