Seven years out, Mander hints at what Games will do to Brisbane

Exactly seven years before the Brisbane 2032 cauldron is lit, the Queensland government is confident it will be able to deal with an expected spike in sports participation by aspiring athletes inspired by the Games.

Sports Minister Tim Mander told a Committee for Brisbane lunch on Tuesday he expected inspired Queenslanders to get more active as a result of the Olympics.

“I just think back to when I was a young guy and we had the ‘Life. Be In It’ Norm program – the most effective advertising program ever,” he said.

The AOC expects athletes such as sprinter Gout Gout will inspire more grassroots participation.Credit: Getty Images

“I can see something similar happening here as well, using the Games as inspiration.

“We all witnessed – most of us did, anyhow – Cathy Freeman. Was there anything better ever?

“And the Matildas playing here in a quarter-final, which I think is one of the best sporting events I’ve attended. And the result of that was thousands – thousands – of young girls who wanted to play football, and that’s the type of thing we need.”

But clubs across the state struggled with the post-FIFA Women’s World Cup spike in demand, with would-be players turned away due to a lack of infrastructure.

After the lunch – at which Deloitte released a report outlining a potential $70 billion economic windfall from the Games – Mander said a surge of interest in sport was “a good problem to have”.

He said the state government would be ready to accommodate more young people taking up all sports.

Norm from the famous “Life. Be In It” campaign.

“We are basically systematically working through sport by sport,” he said.

“Football is one, and they have spoken to us in very clear ways with regards to what they require, both from a headquarters point of view and whether there’s some sort of mid-range stadium that can be built as well.

“I look at athletics, who have spoken to us. Gymnastics have spoken to us. Basketball has spoken to us.

“They’re all looking for better facilities. Our ears are very wide open and listening, and we believe we can respond to many of these as well.”

Mander said he would release the government’s new sports strategy this year.

Deloitte Access Economics lead partner Pradeep Philip said increased physical activity had factored into its Games benefits calculations.

“We know that such an event as the Olympic and Paralympic Games can have enormous motivational impacts for people’s participation in physical activity, but we also know this can be transitory and short term,” he said.

“So we ask the question: what would be the benefits if we could lift the longer-term trend of participation in physical activity and capture the important physical and mental health benefits?”

Australian Olympic Committee chief executive Mark Arbib said local athletes such as sprinter Gout Gout could inspire a generation of sports stars.

“The thing that is happening across the board, especially with our sprinters and middle-distance runners, is just the belief – the belief that they can actually take on the world’s best,” he said.

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