MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia has sent the International Olympic Committee (IOC) funding guarantees for Brisbane’s 2032 Games bid following confirmation of federal government support, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Tuesday.
Palaszczuk said the government had confirmed it would fund the Games’ infrastructure with Queensland state just over an hour before an IOC deadline on Monday.
“I thank the Prime Minister (Scott Morrison) for getting me such a prompt response,” she told reporters.
“He met the deadline, that’s the main thing.”
Queensland state capital Brisbane was named preferred bidder for the 2032 Games in February and could be confirmed as host as early as July.
Palaszczuk said IOC President Thomas Bach looked at Brisbane’s guarantees on Monday.
Morrison said Queensland needed to agree to a jointly owned and funded “Olympic Infrastructure Agency” to give the federal government equal say in planning the Games, Australian media reported.
Palaszczuk has floated a A$1 billion ($778.40 million) rebuild of Brisbane’s Gabba stadium, which has been earmarked for the opening and closing ceremonies.
Palaszczuk said Queensland had a strong track record of delivering major projects with the federal government.
“We do this around Queensland with a whole range of projects, and we can definitely do it when it comes to the Olympics,” she said.
“So it will set Queensland up for decades to come.”
The Tokyo Olympics start on July 23.
($1 = 1.2847 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
