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On the start line: Brisbane Olympics supremo to be revealed within weeks

The high powered body charged with organising the 2032 Brisbane Olympics will meet for the first time within weeks as both the federal and state governments draw nearer to announcing who will fill the highly anticipated role of Games president.

Feb 11, 2022, updated Feb 11, 2022
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2019. Photo: IOC.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2019. Photo: IOC.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she and Prime Minister Scott Morrison had this week been handed a report on candidates to fill the remaining five places as independent directors on the Brisbane Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, or BOCOG.

She said hoped the BOCOG board would meet next month after both governments had considered the report by executive search firm Odgers Berndtson.

“There’s a high calibre of people (nominated),” she said.

“Being a bit parochial I’d like to see as many Queenslanders as possible. But it’s goign to be very very difficult to select from the list that we have.”

The 22-member BOCOG will be an independent statutory body created under legislation passed by the Queensland parliament in December.

It will be responsible for the organisation, conduct, promotion and the commerce and financial management of the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.

Just about everything about the Games, including accommodation, venues, transport, ticketing and broadcast rights will need BOCOG’s approval.

At last one of the independent directors will be an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.

Speculation has been rife as to who will win a place on the board, with names including former minister Kate Jones, current and former NRL kingpins like Peter V’Landys, David Gallop and Todd Greenberg

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BOCOG members already announced include Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates, AOC chief executive Matt Carroll, Paralympics Australia president Jock O’Callaghan, International Paralympic Committee director Robyn Smith, Olympians Bronte Barratt and Tracey Stockwell, Paralympian Kurt Fearnley, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, Redland Mayor Karen Williams and Gold Coast businesswoman Rebecca Frizelle.

While federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck and Sunshine Coast MP Ted O’Brien are also on the board, their future as directors will hinge on the outcome of the upcoming federal election.

 

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