Commonwealth Games 2018: Premier apologises for tradie on a bike ad

GOLD Coast tradies have received an apology from the Premier as council reviews the Commonwealth Games builder-on-a-bike controversy that followed its Get Set for the Games campaign launch.

A COMMONWEALTH Games transport campaign featuring a builder riding a bike to work is under review, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk apologising to any tradies upset by the notion they should pedal their tools to work.

Angry tradies fired up this week following the launch of the Get Set for the Games campaign, which includes a cartoon tradie riding to work on a pink children’s bike to highlight the need for locals to rethink how they travel during the event.

Ms Palaszczuk, who was on the Gold Coast to tour GOLDOC’S Ashmore HQ, said she did not want anyone to feel people were “having a laugh” at them.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has apologised over an ad featuring a tradie riding a pink child’s bicycle to work to avoid congestion during the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

“Sometimes advertising is used to get people to look at things but at the end of the day I don’t want anyone to feel upset,” she said.

“If people are feeling that way I apologise and I think the Commonwealth Games people should apologise as well.

“But let me also make it very clear that Get (Set) for the Games is about essentially making sure people know their transport options.

“Transport is very key to the Games and it’s something Cabinet will be discussing on Monday.”

GOLDOC chief executive Mark Peters said council, which leads the Get Set program, was reviewing the decision to include the cycling tradie.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with GOLDOC boss Mark Peters. Photo: Richard Gosling

“They will look at that feedback and see … (if it) reflects the common view and they’ll make adjustments if they need to,” he said.

“I think what’s happened is some people have reacted to a cartoon character on television. The City is reviewing that at the moment but it was all done because sometimes you need humour in life.

“You don’t want to insult people and, as the Premier said, if that’s happened certainly across the (Games) partnership that’s an apology but it’s all about continuing to communicate.

“Over 7000 (businesses and community groups) have already been spoken to (by the Get Set team) … (we) are talking to businesses to say ‘During this period just think a little bit differently’.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk meets GOLDOC staffer Kitty McCaskie. Photo: Richard Gosling

“It’s not going to close the city down … but unless people think a little differently during those two weeks there will be more congestion.

“This is a world event. No one said it was going to be easy.”

As part of her visit to GOLDOC, Ms Palaszczuk met some of the 183 employees that have started working on the Games during the past fortnight.

More than 1300 people are now working for GOLDOC, with an a further 300 to be recruited in coming weeks.

“There’s a lot of work that happens behind the scenes and as we have seen today, people are very enthusiastic about working on the Games,” she said.