Letter writer questions whether Olympic Games will be worth it for Queensland and the nation

“If one looks a Games past you will find that the so called benefits just don’t happen.”

(bottom L to R) President of Paralympics Australia Jock O’Calloghan, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, AOC President John Coates and (top L to R) Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, Minister for Tourism Industry Development Stirling Hinchliffe and Council of Mayors director Mark Jamieson after the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Future Host Summer Commission designated Brisbane as the "preferred candidate city" to host the 2032 Summer Olympic Games. Picture: NewsWire / Dan Peled

Way back in September 2019 which was pre Covid19 pandemic times the Queensland Government announced that it was entering a bid for us to hold the 2032 Olympic Games in South East Queensland, which of course means Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, the latter two would only be maybe‘s.

The most recent news is that the Queensland bid has been announced as the preferred site for these games by the International Olympic Committee which we would call ‘a lay down misere’ meaning it will happen.

Since that application was made, the world has experienced turmoil and financial ruin due to Covid 19 but good old Queensland has got the nod.

We as a country, Australia, is broke with our state leading the way with huge debt and the highest unemployment rate in the country.

We have been fed the best bit of BS ever created by spin doctors with the release of the news that these games will be ‘cost neutral’ which means that they come without any debt.

If you believe that you must be considered as away with the fairies.

The reality as I see it is it inevitable there will be some debt, how much would be a guess however there will be some debt for sure.

To the believers the Olympics are 11 years away so some would say we will have recovered financially from our existing huge debt by then.

On what basis would that be? I ask, when we add to it regularly, I would consider that the total cost of staging the Games is staggering, that is why those concerned have come up with this ‘cost neutral’ story.

In reality the cost involved coming with this theory represents a huge drain on our resources over a long period of time and for what gain?

The egos of politicians will benefit that’s for sure but in reality all this expense is for 14 days of competition.

History shows that the argument put forward by supporters that we are left with some fabulous facilities does not justify the expenditure that they cost.

If one looks a Games past you will find that the so called benefits just don’t happen.

The other aspect that becomes reality is the ongoing maintenance costs that the facilities demand.

If Queensland wants to value add to expenditure then put your hand up for an Expo at least it goes on for six months and promotes our state economically.

However I would suggest that we all work extremely hard to dissolve our current debt of $102,000,000 million dollars and its huge interest payments, that way we don’t leave a legacy that our kids and grandkid’s have to pick up the tab for.

The other benefit would be that we all state wide would make great gains out of being debt free that in itself is the place that we should be.

So why don’t we tell our current government including all politicians that the Olympics are a no, no, due to the very real possibility that they will increase our debt level and the way to do that is to advise your local member, no matter what party that they represent that we don’t want the debt that the 2032 Olympic Games brings with it.

Robert Henderson, Sharon

Originally published as Letter writer questions whether Olympic Games will be worth it for Queensland and the nation