On 28 November 2024, the Queensland Government introduced and passed the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games Arrangements and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, to re-name the Olympics Authority as the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority while also commencing a 100-day infrastructure review.
Previously, Sandy signed the Crossbench Statement on Olympic Funding 23 May 2023, which called on the previous Queensland Government to commit to several provisions, including investing an equivalent spend in regions that won’t receive any Olympic infrastructure for nation-building projects. Provisions in this Bill align with this and require the games deliver legacy benefits for all of Queensland, including regional areas.
Whilst Sandy welcomes these long fought for improvements, the Bill that encompassed them included a wide variety of different issues and saw the Government fast-tracking this legislation in a single day by declaring it ‘urgent’. For more information on these other aspects, please read Sandy’s full undelivered speech at www.sandybolton.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Brisbane-Olympic-and-Paralympic-Games-Arrangements-and-Other-Legislation-Amendment-Bill-2024%E2%80%93-Sandy-Bolton-MP-for-Noosa.pdf, with the relevant section on the Olympic and Paralympic Games below:
The independence of an Olympic and Paralympic Games Authority brings a suite of improvements, including the 100 days Olympics infrastructure review, and the soon to be released terms of reference that incorporate aspects of the united crossbench statement such as regional benefits and a representative, as well post-games utilisation of Olympic accommodation.
Sandy will continue tracking this including to ensure previous achievements such as halting the Gabba rebuild are upheld.
Further Information
Further direct advocacy regarding the Olympic and Paralympic Games can be directed to the following Queensland Ministers:
- Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games via sport@ministerial.qld.gov.au.
- Minister for State Development Infrastructure and Planning via premier@qld.gov.au.
Please cc’ our office in via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au and forward any response you receive to us.
For our previous Noosa 360 updates on the Olympic and Paralympic Games, please visit www.sandybolton.com/?s=olympics