Brisbane Mayor Quits 2032 Olympic Organizing Committee, Condemns Stadium Costs

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has resigned from the inter-governmental group planning the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, describing it as a “pointless talkfest” and a “dysfunctional farce.”

It is the first substantial divide for the organizers, whom the International Olympic Committee chose to host the 2032 Summer Olympics in 2021.

The so-called Leaders’ Forum, which includes officials from all three levels of government and various organizations, is intended to deliver the Olympics while leaving a legacy for Queensland. Its mandate is to collaborate with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s Queensland state government to “progress the significant venues, villages, and transportation infrastructure” for the Games.

However, Schrinner claimed that the committee was meant to “place key stakeholders while the state government made all the real decisions behind closed doors.”

Brisbane Mayor Quits 2032 Olympic Organizing Committee, Condemns Stadium Costs

“The truth is that we’ve always wanted to be team players. On Sunday, Schrinner stated, “The state government wanted to play politics.”

He advocated for creating an independent authority, similar to the one that oversaw preparations for the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the London Olympics in 2012, to bring planning “back on track.”

“We don’t need overpriced stadiums, we need better transport,” Schrinner said. “This week it became very apparent that the Intergovernmental Leaders’ Forum is a dysfunctional farce.”

According to Schrinner, sports have become “more about overpriced stadiums.”
A $2.7 billion US makeover of the existing Gabba stadium in inner-city Brisbane, which would be dismantled and rebuilt, is intended to be the centerpiece of an Olympics with sites around southeast Queensland. However, Schrinner suggested that alternative options be investigated.

He was particularly critical of the state government’s proposals for Brisbane City Council to contribute $91 million to upgrade another local stadium, the RNA Showgrounds, to host cricket and Australian Rules football while the Gabba is redeveloped.

Brisbane Mayor Quits 2032 Olympic Organizing Committee, Condemns Stadium Costs

A 20,000-person stadium will be built within the showgrounds for the next five years to house the Brisbane Lions AFL teams and the Brisbane Heat cricket club. Schrinner resigned in response to the state government’s request for a financial commitment from the city for a temporary cricket and AFL site.

“The state government’s game playing is jeopardizing the games and they are quickly losing the support of the people of Queensland,” Schrinner said in a statement. “It’s clear that the games have become more about overpriced stadiums rather than the promise of vital transport solutions.”

Queensland Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe expressed surprise at Schrinner’s decision to resign. If he chooses to return, a place will be reserved for him.

Queensland will have council elections in March of next year. Schrinner’s conservative Liberal National Party alliance and the opposition Australian Labor Party had previously backed the Gabba renovation.

Brisbane Mayor Quits 2032 Olympic Organizing Committee, Condemns Stadium Costs

The Greens’ candidate for mayor of Brisbane, Jonathan Sriranganathan, has stated that if elected, his party would oppose the demolition and rebuilding of the Gabba. He called it a “deplorable waste of money” and a “bad deal for our city.”

SOURCE – (CBC)