Games a means to reinvent

City can reset future

BRISBANE can secure major infrastructure projects, build a world-class sport and entertainment hub and maintain its unique lifestyle under an Olympic opportunity never before offered to a global city – but there’s no time to waste.

Queensland has been given 11 years to prepare for Australia’s third Olympics – significantly more than the usual six years.

Industry leaders say the state must take this unique opportunity to use the world’s largest sporting event to transform the fabric of the city.

A gathering of Queensland’s influential business, media and education sector leaders has prompted calls for planning to start immediately if Brisbane is to capitalise on the unprecedented opportunities offered by the 2032 Olympic Games.

They urged politicians to be brave and promote big ideas to transform Brisbane while also ensuring Olympics planning was not riddled with politics.

Los Angeles 1984 swimmer Mark Stockwell said Queensland could become the sporting hub of the nation and wider Asia-Pacific region.

“We’ve got to reinvent highperformance sport in this country, we’ve got to think about where the Australian Institute of Sport sits and what role government plays,” he said.

“There’s also a great opportunity from a geopolitical point of view for us to engage more with our South Pacific neighbours and help them develop sport.”

Mr Stockwell, Australia’s only triple-medallist at the 1984 Games, said those tasked with planning the 2032 Games needed to engage and educate the nation about its significance.

“You’ve got to have your country behind you and you’ve got to build passion and pride in the green and gold – there’s a magic with the Olympics that inspires,” he said.

“Unless there’s a passion the dream dies.”

Mr Stockwell, Chairman of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, said shocking planning mistakes which were made in 2018 could not be repeated in 2032.