Pollies square up over Games
The Olympic flame will burn brightly in Brisbane in 2032, Queensland’s Tourism and Sports Minister has promised, even though one MP says he’d sooner have it extinguished.
The embattled $5 billion project has drawn criticism from Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto who’s called for the Games to be canned unless a similar amount is spent on critical nation-building projects in N o r t h Queensland over the next decade.
But Sports Minister and Cairns MP Michael Healy said the Sunshine State’s Olympics can revive the regions through increased tourism and upgraded infrastructure.
“I’m confident that we’re going to have the best Olympics ever hosted,” Mr Healy said. “There have only been two Olympics in my lifetime that haven’t been politicised. One was Beijing and the other was Moscow.
“We’ve put a line in the sand, we’ve consulted extensively … and we’re now in a position where we know what we’re doing and we need to start funding it.
“Eighty per cent of the infrastructure is actually already in place. We just need to make improvements.”
Mr Dametto questioned the value of Labor’s investment despite having now committed to the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre as the event’s main stadium.
“What’s he gauging that on?” Mr Dametto said. “It’s behind schedule in terms of the infrastructure that needs to be built. It’s created divisions within communities across Queensland and now even some people that wanted it are calling for it to be scrapped.
“Last time I saw, we were running this Olympics on a shoestring budget. Unless he’s going on the idea of less is more, I don’t think that can be a true statement.”
The Olympics will lead to improved facilities in communities across the state, including Cairns, Mr Healy said.