Queensland waiting for Federal Government to commit to Olympics funding

Time is running out to meet an important deadline for Queensland’s Olympic bid, with the Premier waiting on the Federal Government in order to push ahead.

The Australian Government has less than a week to commit vital funds for Brisbane’s Olympics bid, putting a question mark over plans to attract the world event.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the International Olympics Committee had set a deadline for Monday to satisfy itself that Australia could deliver the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the state needed a firm commitment from the federal government to move forward now.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says Queensland can’t fully fund the Olympics alone. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“Time is running out to meet an important deadline for Queensland’s Olympic bid,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We have always said these games would depend on support from all three levels of government: local, federal and state.

“Queensland can’t do it alone.”

The Premier said she had asked Prime Minister Scott Morrison for the same funding deal as the Commonwealth Games but he was yet to respond.

“Those games were a 50/50 partnership,” she said.

“These games should be the same.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is yet to commit to helping fund the Games. Queensland is hoping the Federal Government will cover half of the costs. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck said the Commonwealth remained a strong supporter of the Queensland Government’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid.

“Queensland and Commonwealth officials are working closely on ensuring the bid team can meet the needs of the guarantees sought by the IOC to help secure the 2032 Games,” Senator Colbeck said.

“At State Cabinet on Monday, the Queensland Government made a decision to go ahead with a major redevelopment of the Gabba for the Games rather than build a new stadium as it had previously planned.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Queensland Government and seeing any detail of this redevelopment proposal following Monday’s decision.”

Ms Palaszczuk said she had attended more than a dozen meetings including federal government representatives with detailed discussions on Games plans.

She said more than 80 per cent of Queensland’s venues already exist, cutting the cost of staging the games, and improved infrastructure that was proposed was already needed anyway.

The 2032 Games simply fast-tracked plans already in the works, she said.

Originally published as Queensland waiting for Federal Government to commit to Olympics funding