SKIN IN THE GAMES

Premier puts $10m on table as push for Olympic bid heats up

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk will head up a taskforce charged with determining the cost to taxpayers of hosting an Olympic Games in 2032.

In another sign the Government is getting serious about the Games, the state will also match the Commonwealth’s initial $10 million bid commitment.

“This could be the greatest thing that ever happened in Queensland,” she said of the Olympics.

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk will lead a taskforce charged with determining how much a Queensland Olympics would cost taxpayers as she edges closer to signing off on a bid for the 2032 Games.

The Bulletin can reveal the state will match the Commonwealth’s initial $10 million commitment in yet another sign the Government is getting serious about the Games.

That money will be used to conduct a full cost-benefit analysis to get to the bottom of exactly how much the Games could cost and what benefit Queensland could reap in return.

“This could be the greatest thing that ever happened in Queensland,” Ms Palaszczuk said of the Olympics.

“Imagine all levels of government, business and the community united behind the single goal of a Queensland Olympics.

“They’d be the best ever.” Cabinet signed off on the taskforce, which Ms Palaszczuk will chair, yesterday afternoon.

It will prepare a detailed “value proposition” study looking at the venues and transport infrastructure required, as well as an Olympics Village master plan. The taskforce will also determine what infrastructure would be funded and delivered irrespective of the Games, as well as assess the economic viability of hosting the Olympics and Paralympics in the state.

It will also determine funding sources to cover the costs and the infrastructure required, including contributions from all three levels of government and the private sector.

Work will start this month, with the taskforce reporting back early next year.

“There are a lot of benefits to hosting these Games but I want to make sure we know the costs as well,” said Ms Palaszczuk, who will fly to Switzerland in September to meet with International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.

The Premier said she was pushing forward with plans to incorporate other parts of Queensland, rather than just the southeast corner, off the back of the IOC’s “gamechanging” decision to allow regions and multiple cities to bid.

New rules that would allow bidders to use existing venue infrastructure have also helped.

“We delivered a Commonwealth Games that got the world’s attention, that was inclusive of cities outside the Gold Coast, such as Townsville and Cairns, and we delivered them on time and under budget,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“This next stage will allow an Olympics that is inclusive of Queensland.”

Ms Palaszczuk said the $10 million commitment to deliver the cost-benefit analysis would be made up of a combination of “in kind” work by existing government staff and resources with minimal use of specialist consultants.

She said the taskforce’s work would build on the studies already conducted by the South East Queensland Council of Mayors.

The Council of Mayors, the Federal Government and News Corp Australia, publishers of The Bulletin, have already publicly backed the Olympic bid.

At the G20 Summit earlier this month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Mr Bach that Queensland was ready to put on a better Games than Sydney did in 2000.

Ms Palaszczuk said all levels of government, as well as the corporate sector, would need to work together for a bid to be successful.

“Competing in a world-class sporting event is all about teamwork and preparation. So is delivering a successful bid,” she said.