Brisbane are told: ‘Hands off our Logies

MAYOR Tom Tate is urging Brisbane to keep its hands off Australia’s glamour TV awards night, saying the Logies’ “spiritual home” is the Gold Coast.

The first Gold Coast-hosted Logies, at The Star’s Broadbeach site on Sunday, has received rave reviews from visiting small screen luminaries but rumours are rife Brisbane might poach it.

The Gold Coast is locked in as the host until 2021 but after that it will be up for grabs.

The Star’s $3b Queens Wharf Brisbane resort development — scheduled to open in 2022 — has been rumoured as a potential host but yesterday Mayor Tate said he wouldn’t “share” the Logies.

“No — Queens Wharf is a wonderful development and my attitude is I’m sure they can find some other world-class event to host there,” he said.

“Come up with something. It’s time Brisbane stopped copying the Gold Coast. The glitters and the glamours will always be on the Gold Coast. There is no removing that.”

Asked if he was concerned about the Gold Coast losing the event so soon after the Queensland Government helped snaffle it from Melbourne, he said: “Not off the back of yesterday.

“I went to the recovery party and mingled with many executives and stars and when you listen to how well the Gold Coast was received, one thing we do well is major events.

“I don’t take things for granted but I think the television industry has found a permanent spiritual home. Once we get hold of something we don’t let go so easily.”

Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones backed Mayor Tate’s comments.

“The feedback we received about the Logies being on the Gold Coast from the stars was overwhelming,” she said.

Destination Gold Coast chairman Paul Donovan said he would like to see the Logies become a “permanent fixture”.