Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question goes to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister please update the House on Brisbane's bid to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and how the Morrison government has supported that campaign? Will the Prime Minister outline the benefits that would flow to Australia, particularly Queensland, should we secure this major global event?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] I thank the member for his strong involvement as my representative in working together with the Queensland government, along with the Minister for Sport, to support the Brisbane 2032 bid. On 23 July, before we gather again as a parliament, the Olympic Games will get underway in Tokyo. I want to start by commending the Japanese government, particularly Prime Minister Suga, and the organising committee for their great tenacity and determination in pressing ahead with these games that had to be delayed for a year. I can only imagine the disappointment of last year, and for them to be able to bounce back and go forward with these games is a great credit to the people of Japan and the government of Japan under Prime Minister Suga's leadership.

We will be working hard in these final stages because, as those games come together, the IOC members will take a final decision on Brisbane's bid to host the 2032 games. I was delighted to speak again to the IOC president, Dr Bach, just last week, ahead of the final vote for IOC members, and we'll continue to participate as we lead up to that final vote. We have backed this bid every step of the way, working first with the regional councils of South-East Queensland who promoted this, working with the Queensland government who convinced us that this was a good project for us all to get on board with, and we have, committing $10 million. And, as part of the last set of bid documents put forward, we came to an agreement with the Queensland government on a fifty-fifty split on games-related infrastructure, based on a fifty-fifty governance model—a genuine partnership in an equivalent of what the Olympic Coordination Authority was for the Sydney games of 2000.

KPMG has estimated the economic and social benefits of the games to be $8.1 billion for Queensland and $17.6 billion for Australia. They are projected to create some 120,000 jobs for Australia, including 90,000 jobs for Queensland. This is a great opportunity, not just for South-East Queensland and not just for Brisbane. We will be one of only two countries, I believe, to have three Olympic cities, if we are successful and Brisbane is indeed chosen for the 2032 games. That says a lot about our passion for the Olympic movement and our passion for sport as a country.

As our athletes gather and make their way to Tokyo, where many of them are already, we wish them our very, very best. We'll be cheering them on. They have laboured, they have trained, and they have gone through this past year of uncertainty as they have wondered whether their life's great opportunity of competing in an Olympic Games in the Australian colours would come true. We could not be more proud of them. We know they will do us proud. We thank all the coaches, the families and all those that have supported their road to Tokyo and we know it will be a glorious one. We wish everyone at the games all the best, particularly the people of Japan.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—I join with the government in wishing all of our athletes all the best in Tokyo. It's been a particularly tough time for people in sporting communities, with the uncertainty that's been created due to COVID, particularly around international events. I wish the Japanese government all the best as well in hosting the games, and we look forward to watching on our screens. My understanding is that there won't be any Australian tourists present there, for the first time at any Olympic Games, due to health concerns, which are perfectly understandable. But to all our athletes: Australia is with you as always.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I concur with the remarks of both the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition and ask that further questions for today be placed on the Notice Paper.