Olympics set to bring jobs bonanza to state

QUEENSLAND will secure an additional 129,000 jobs in the lead up to a 2032 Olympic Games, while the regions alone can expect a $10 billion tourism boost.

As State Cabinet decides today whether to proceed with a 2032 Olympics bid, News Corp can reveal the majority of the new jobs will be in construction, tourism and retail.

In the cost-benefit analysis report to be tabled to Cabinet, economists have identified a $10 billion cash splash by international tourists in areas like the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, the Whitsundays, Far North Queensland and the Outback.

The massive financial benefits of hosting an Olympics follows market research obtained by News Corp which shows 75 per cent of regional Queenslanders support a Games bid, once they learned the IOC will contribute a whopping $2.5 billion to the cost.

Under the new rules governing host city bids, Queensland has been invited to the negotiating table by the IOC, which sees Australia’s love affair with elite sport and our political, economic and safety credentials as key advantages.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said last night it was essential that Games gold flow to the regions.

“I’ve said from day one that this must be an Olympics for all Queenslanders,’’ she said.

“Everyone has to share the jobs and the pride.’’

Games benefits for regional

Queensland include Olympic athletes living and training in pre-Games venues, hosting Games events and procurement and supply chain opportunities with hundreds of countries.

Ms Palaszczuk said the Games was more than two weeks of competition.

“It’s a decade’s worth of preparation and accelerated investment in the years leading up to 2032 and then capitalising on it in the years after,’’ she said.

If Cabinet approves the bid, Queensland would likely present its submission to the IOC’s Tokyo session in July, 2020.

A decision may not be made until 2021 at the earliest, although the IOC is keen to give the 2032 host country at least a decade to prepare.