Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald to visit Paris, Singapore, UK as part of Council of Mayors, South-East Queensland delegation for Olympic knowledge
Mayors across southeast Queensland have quietly embarked on a 10-day trip to Singapore, Paris and the UK, in a bid to learn about opportunities for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
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Exploring infrastructure opportunities for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and taking learnings from their French counterparts is at the heart of the next 10 days for Toowoomba Regional Council mayor Geoff McDonald as he tours Paris, Singapore and the UK.
The trip has been organised by the Council of Mayors South-East Queensland (CoMSEQ), with a delegation of 10 mayors and one deputy mayor in attendance.
Toowoomba’s mayor was visibly absent from council meetings on Wednesday and despite holding a press conference yesterday, the council made no announcement of the trip.
Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Todd Rohl said members were surprised by the lack of publicity or announcement of the trip.
“The Toowoomba Chamber supports travel by our elected officials that showcases our region to the world,” he said.
The delegation is set to meet with global leaders to learn about major infrastructure and events and garner knowledge from their experience of the Paris 2024 Games.
The trip was funded by CoMSEQ, with costs yet to be finalised, a spokesperson from the Council of Mayors said.
Having a seat at the table with the peak body representing the fastest growing region in Australia is very valuable, Mr McDonald told News Corp Australia.
It comes as councils across the region vie for a piece of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic infrastructure pie, submitting events and sports facility proposals to the state government’s 100 day review, which closed in January.
Whether or not those councils will be recipients of Olympic events and venues remains to be seen, with the final report scheduled for release in March.
Mr McDonald said in addition to the Olympic visits, the trip would also focus on key local government responsibilities like sustainably managing population growth, fiscal responsibility, sporting infrastructure, regional connectivity, waste management and water security.
The 10-day trip includes site visits to Keppel Seghers in Singapore, a waste to energy incineration plant that turns 800 tonnes of solid waste daily, and Changi Water Reclamation Plant, the world’s largest wastewater treatment plant.
The mayors will also be in attendance at G’Day to the Bay, the Australian High Commissioner’s celebration of Singapore 60 years of independence.
Next stop will be greater Manchester in the United Kingdom, where the delegation will meet with their counterpart mayors, as well as tour the innovation and media hub at MediaCityUk and the multipurpose facilities at Sportcity.
In Paris their time will be spent meeting with key leaders such as Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, St Denis mayor Mathieu Hanotin and the director of the Independent Olympic Delivery Authority, Stephane Troussel.
Discussions are expected to be around mass public transport initiatives and upgrades ahead of the Paris 2024 Games and how they can provide long-term benefits to residents and visitors.
It will also include visits to venues in the city which are comparable to those planned for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, including Adidas Indoor Arena and the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium (whitewater venue).
“We look forward to hearing from the mayor on his return, on how the region was showcased, the outcomes and learnings from the overseas excursion, and sharing it with our members,” Mr Rohl said.
Mr McDonald left on Tuesday night and is expected to return sometime after February 15.
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