We’re Going for Gold - 2032 Brisbane Olympics
The International Olympic Committee inspecting the Sleeman Sports Complex in 1986 when Australia placed a bid to host the 1992 Olympics
Brisbane is going for gold in the bid to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in our own sunny backyard. I for one fully support this incredible opportunity to support our local businesses, provide thousands of jobs and show the world what Queensland has to offer.
In February the International Olympic Committee (IOC) accepted the recommendation to have South East Queensland as the preferred candidate for the 35th Olympics and 18th Paralympics. If selected, this will be the first Olympic Games hosted in Oceania in over 30 years.
The final decision is expected to be made ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in July.
The History
This Council administration first backed an Olympic bid under Lord Mayor Graham Quirk in 2015 when he said that a bid would be on the agenda at the South East Queensland Council of Mayors in March 2015.
Since then, Brisbane City Council has worked within the SEQ Council of Mayors (formed with the Gold Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba City Councils) to incorporate and involve other cities in South East Queensland for the Olympic bid.
Earlier this year, the International Olympics Committee announced Brisbane had been selected for “exclusive negotiations” to host the 2032 Olympics, resulting in Brisbane City Council’s first closed meeting since 2007.
This meeting consisted of a special briefing which saw councillors, such as myself, being required to sign confidentiality agreements before being briefed in detail about the Olympic bid.
After this meeting, all but one councillor voted for the motion to support a 2032 Olympic bid, paving the way for the Brisbane bid.
Schrinner Administration Councillors after voting to pass the Olympic 2032 motion
The Benefits
The 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Taskforce have calculated the numerous benefits of hosting the Games in Queensland.
Not only is the estimated economic benefit around $7.4 billion, but 130,000 direct jobs and tens of thousands of indirect jobs would be created, particularly in tourism which took one of the greatest hits during COVID-19. Social and community benefits were also found to potentially last two decades.
The infrastructure improvement alone, with possible new stadiums and upgrade plans, will have long-lasting benefits for the community of Queensland, especially the sporting community. This is an opportunity that we cannot miss out on.
Brisbane Aquatic Centre in the Sleeman Sports Complex
How this Affects Chandler
Of the 31 venues proposed for the Olympics, 21 will be held in Brisbane with three in our very own Chandler Ward.
The Sleeman Sports Complex at Chandler will be used for diving, artistic swimming, water polo and gymnastics. The Anna Meares Velodrome, also in Chandler, will host the track cycling and BMX racing whilst the Belmont Shooting Range in Belmont will hold the sharpest shooters in the world.
This gives us the opportunity to show the world what Chandler Ward has to offer. Not only does this support our local community centres and clubs, but the surrounding businesses will find new customers eager to experience the welcoming hospitality that Aussies offer with a smile.
What does this mean for the Eastern Transitway?
Despite all this excitement for the Games I can’t help but wonder if the Eastern Transitway will hold up with the influx of travelers.
The State Government originally promised the Eastern Busway, a designated lane for buses to deliver tens of thousands in a fast, reliable and affordable way.
However, this project was slowly defunded by the State Government and replaced with the poorer option: the Eastern Transitway. You can read more about my thoughts on this here.
