Coates Defends Australia's 2032 Bid

(ATR) Australian Olympic chief John Coates reveals he has offered to take those against the Queensland 2032 Olympics bid, such as rebel Senator Pauline Hanson, through the major changes that will ensure the Games are worth it.

The revelation comes as Sydney and Australia plan to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "The best Games" ever staged in the Harbour city in 2000 and as the Australian Olympic Committee prepares to send its athletes to the Games of the 32nd Olympiad in Tokyo.

It is an ideal time to regenerate the Olympic spirit, to build the enthusiasm for the Brisbane bid as Australians traditionally revel in the country’s Olympic history and fervour and the stories behind its already established sporting heroes and the unveiling of a new generation of Olympic success.

The Australian Olympic Committee president has written an open letter in today’s Courier Mail – the major News Limited masthead in Queensland, in response to Senator Hanson’s campaign against Queensland’s 2032 Olympics bid in a move that the paper says turns the Games into a political issue for October’s Queensland State election.

It sparked major interest in the Brisbane 2032 bid with Australia’s National broadcaster, the ABC running an ongoing discussion on its three-hour National TV Breakfast program, with some Australians questioning the bid and others supporting the push.

Coates, Australia’s "Mr. Olympics" and the man who played a gold medal role in winning the successful bid for the hugely successful Sydney 2000 Games has not only challenged the naysayers but put forward a case to convince any doubting Thomases that a successful 2032 would not only be a huge win for Brisbane, South-East Queensland, Queensland and Australia but it would be cost effective – free in fact.

The controversial and often outspoken Senator Hanson has recently questioned the potential of a Queensland Olympic Games on the basis of cost – but Coates has strongly refuted the claims.

"….running a Queensland Games will be cost neutral, or even produce a surplus, thanks to changes by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)." wrote Coates, across a double-page spread in Queensland’s major daily.

"Known as "The New Norm", these changes have made Games much cheaper to run, while delivering benefits that can last 20 years and beyond.

"I have offered to take Senator Hanson through them, including the IOC contributing around $2.5 billion towards the operating costs.

"When you add revenue from national sponsors and ticket sales, the operating costs of the Games themselves will not require any contribution from taxpayers or ratepayers.

"These games-changing benefits were not available to previous Olympic hosts.

"The IOC wants Olympic hosts to use existing venues as much as possible, reduce venue sizes and ensure the Games fit in with Queensland, not the other way around.

"In the case of Brisbane and Queensland’s candidature, we already have 85 percent of the venues in place or planned.

"Any investment in further sports facilities and transport infrastructure is already required to cater for the state’s growing population.

"Senator Hanson also quotes an Oxford University study which deals with historical Olympic Games costs – but a more recent German study points out you also need to look at both the revenues and community benefits that flow.

"The benefits start ten years before the Games’ period and will last for another ten years to follow.

"And these benefits will flow throughout Queensland.

"Tourism, small to medium businesses supplying the Games, pre-Games training camps, construction and other jobs, plus the enormous boost to sport in Australia. Sport will be supercharged.

"Today’s 10-year-old child will be an optimistic 22-year-old in 2032 – with real job opportunities, actively involved in sport and living in a thriving State with a vibrant economy."

Coates said that Senator Hanson was absolutely right to ask the question "But the answer, thanks to the "New Norm" and other changes, will reassure Senator Hanson and others who wonder what the Games will bring - in addition to those magical Olympic moments."

The Case Against 2032 Bid

The One Nation leader Hanson believes regional Queenslanders don’t want the 2032 Olympics and will use the bid, backed by both Labor and the LNP, as a tool to win votes at the next election, according to a Courier Mail report.

Senator Hanson is campaigning against Queensland’s bid with 52 One Nation billboards in regional and outer-urban Queensland showing an image of the One Nation Leader declaring, "2032 Brisbane Olympics. Regional Queensland Says No".

Senator Hanson also wrote to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison urging him to pull the Federal Government’s support of the bid.

"The Olympics are a wonderful celebration of athletic and sporting prowess and no doubt draws global attention to the host nation but such benefits come as a considerable financial cost that as history shows is never recouped,’’ Senator Hanson wrote.

"Australia’s economy is still sluggish and the economy of Queensland is at its worst position in history so it is irresponsible to commit unknown funds, but probably in the billions, to a project like this at this time.

"The decision to chase the Olympics, despite having no firm idea about the costs, while there are many other worthwhile needs in this nation, could be regarded as irresponsible and misdirected leadership.

"The feedback I’m getting from everyday Queenslanders it that they’re not interested in hosting the Olympics and instead prefer that funds be spent on projects that provide water security for the state and for the nation."

Strong Support in Queensland for Olympics

But Queensland’s mainstream political and business heavyweights and the vibrant sporting community continue to promote the Games to come to SEQ in 2032.

Coates would be keen to ensure further international popularity when Sydney hosts the World Business Forum at the ICC Sydney (May 27-28) featuring US Olympic great Michael Phelps.

It's a bid supported by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington and the catwalk of Olympic greats from Dawn Fraser, Cathy Freeman and Kieren Perkins to swimming’s sister act, Cate and Bronte Campbell and Giaan Rooney.

"The Olympics are tourism gold," Tourism Australia CEO John O’Sullivan had said in support of the bid.

"It’s one of the most televised events in the world. It really does bring the world to a standstill and then you get a second burst with the Paralympics.

"The publicity and exposure is beyond compare. As a host, you become the topic of conversation in 200 countries.

"Properly leveraged, the benefits for tourism in the years leading up, and afterwards, are enormous."

Fraser, a gold medalist at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics, said: "Queensland has shown it can do it with two excellent Commonwealth Games. We’ve got good facilities, great weather, people who love their sport. I don’t know what else we need and the Games that Queensland would bring to the world would be just amazing."

Four-time Olympic medalist Perkins, a proud Queenslander who won gold in Barcelona and Atlanta and bowed out with silver in Sydney, has said that one of the biggest positives from hosting was the financial uplift for investment in sports.

"The base funding increased but it is the commercial and sponsorship funding that really takes off," he said.

SEQ was "absolutely" ready to take on the task… Commonwealth Games proved that."

Written by Ian Hanson, Olympic special correspondent, Queensland

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