Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner has slammed the door on the intergovernmental committee responsible for hosting the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, calling it a “fest of useless talk” and a “dysfunctional farce”.
This is the first blow to shake the organizing committee, which was selected in 2021 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the presentation of the 2032 Summer Olympics.
The Leaders’ Forum, made up of representatives from all three levels of government and other agencies, was designed to deliver the Olympics and provide a legacy for Queensland. Its mandate is to work with the government of Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk “to advance key facilities, villages and transport infrastructure” for the Olympics.
Schrinner, however, said the group only served to “appease key stakeholders, while all the real decisions were made by the state government behind closed doors.”
“The truth is, we always wanted to play as a team,” Schrinner added Sunday. But the state government preferred to play the political card. »
He called for an independent committee, similar to the one that oversaw preparations for the Sydney 2000 and London 2012 Olympics, to bring the plan “back on track”.
“We don’t need white elephants, we need transportation infrastructure,” Schrinner said. “It has become abundantly clear this week that the Intergovernmental Leaders’ Forum is a dysfunctional farce.”
A $2.7 billion revitalization plan including the Gabba Stadium, which is to be demolished and rebuilt, in an outlying area of Brisbane, is to be the anchor for the 2032 Olympics. Several other stadiums are also to be erected at the four corners of the state of Queensland, in southeastern Australia. Schrinner believes, however, that other options should be considered.
He is particularly angered by the state government’s plan to help Brisbane City Council cover the $91 million bill for renovations to another area stadium, the RNA Showgrounds, to accommodate the presentation of cricket and Australian rules football matches during the reconstruction of the Gabba Stadium.
Queensland Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said he was surprised by Schrinner’s departure. However, he added that a seat will still be reserved for him if he decides to return.
The committee election is scheduled for next March in Queensland. Schrinner’s party, as well as the municipal opposition, have already supported the project to revitalize the Gabba stadium area.