Call to axe Games finales

Coast closing ceremony debacle under spotlight

KATE Jones will write to the Commonwealth Games Federation with a final word of advice: Ditch the closing ceremony at future events and save yourself millions of dollars.

The Games Minister told an Estimates hearing in Brisbane yesterday that canning the finale would prevent a repeat of the bad reviews and embarrassment that followed the closing ceremoney on the Gold Coast in April.

Instead, Ms Jones welcomed an informal function that celebrated the athletes.

GOLDOC chair Peter Beattie apologised for the widely criticised closing ceremony at Carrara Stadium which failed to telecast the athletes’ entrance and led to hundreds of fans and competitors leaving early.

At the time, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said those responsible should “hang their heads in shame”.

US agency Jack Morton was paid $46 million — $191,000 a minute — for the four hours of opening and closing ceremonies at Carrara.

The Games provided a $4 billion economy boost with a $1.7 billion injection into the Coast economy, according to Griffith University research.

Ms Jones yesterday said organisers had no control on how the host broadcaster televised the ceremony but she believed there needed to be a rethink.

“I think they need to rethink the closing ceremony full stop. I don’t think anyone who saw the opening ceremony was concerned about the closing ceremony. There was overwhelming joy at the opening ceremony,” she said.

“My advice to the Federation is rethink why you have a closing ceremony.

“We absolutely want to celebrate the athletes. Why not have a big function where you actually invite the athletes, like we saw the next morning for the Australian team? Why wouldn’t we do that for all Commonwealth nations?”

At Estimates yesterday, Opposition Games spokesman John Paul Langbroek asked when it was decided at a board level that the athletes would not feature in the closing ceremony.

The question was deflected from bureaucrats to GOLDOC CEO Mark Peters, who said: “If we could get 10 minutes back — we would have had the lights on when the athletes came into the stadium.”

About 20 per cent of the athletes had left the Coast, 40 per cent were preparing to leave the next day and there was a “absolute plea” not to have them standing out of the stadium for hours.

The ceremony was not just about the athletes but recognising all those who had played a role in creating and working at the event, he said.

“They’re lessons, and they’re lessons certainly for the CGF,” Mr Peters said.

BULLETIN’S VIEW, P18