Queensland: Olympic and Paralympic Games

19 February 2020

Mr DICK (Oxley) (10:31): I recently had the pleasure of accompanying a Queensland delegation to meet with the
President of the International Olympic Committee, Dr Thomas Bach, to continue discussions regarding a possible
2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games for Queensland. The delegation was led by the Queensland Premier,
Annastacia Palaszczuk, and we were joined by the member for Fairfax, Mr Ted O'Brien; LGAQ President Mark
Jamieson, of the Sunshine Coast; Mr John Coates AC, President of the Australian Olympic Committee and IOC
member; and Mr John O'Neill AO, Chairman of the Star Entertainment Group. I'm pleased to inform the House
that the delegation was warmly welcomed by the IOC, with President Bach commenting that he had never seen
a bid 'as advanced and with such preparedness' as this stage of the Queensland potential 2032 bid.
However, there is still much work and preparation to be done by the Queensland 2032 task force, which
includes a value proposition assessment looking at the potential for an Olympic and Paralympic Games. The
value proposition will assess the venue and village master plans and transport infrastructure required; assess
what infrastructure would be prioritised, funded and delivered irrespective of an Olympic Games; assess the
economic viability and cost benefits through a detailed economic assessment; determine the funding sources,
including contributions from federal, state and local governments as well as the private sector; and determine the
overarching value proposition of a 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The value proposition assessment is
aimed to be completed by December of this year, with a report to be provided to government in December 2019.
If the result of these investigations shows that having an Olympic Games delivers more jobs, private investment
and the infrastructure needed for Queensland, then I believe we stand ready to fully support a bid moving forward.
The visit to the IOC provided a unique opportunity to better understand the processes and just how the
games could benefit Queensland and Australia. During the visit, the IOC also provided a series of expansive
presentations on topics including the Olympic movement, the Olympic Agenda 2020, new norms, legacy
sustainability and the future of the games. These briefings were extremely beneficial and will help inform and
frame the work undertaken by the 2032 task force, and I acknowledge the hard work of the member for Fairfax.
The opportunity to host an Olympics would be a tremendous honour, and it would undoubtedly present
Queensland with incredible opportunities and benefits for our nation. It would build on Queensland's proven
track record of delivering world-class sporting events, demonstrated through our recent experience with the 2018
Commonwealth Games. The priority now is to carefully assess the value proposition, including the full economic
impact of bidding for, and hosting, an event of this magnitude. If a bid is to go ahead it will need to have strong
backing, including financial support from all levels of government. I wish to extend my thanks to the Queensland
Premier for her hard work on a dedicated proposal.