Anthony Albanese suggests NSW and Victoria should be considered to host major 2032 Olympic events, sparking stern rebuke from Qld officials
The 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games plot has continued to thicken after the Labor leader said the tennis and rowing could potentially be held in New South Wales and Victoria and that the Sunshine State lacked the appropriate facilities to host the two sports.
Appearing on the most recent episode of the Two Good Sports podcast uploaded on Friday, Mr Albanese said there was a 'bit of a debate going on' over the venue plan.
'I've been meeting with (2032 Organising Committee President) Andrew Liveris as well as with the Queensland Premier (David) Crisafulli about where it goes,' he told the podcast.
'For example, are we really going to do rowing in Rockhampton on the Fitzroy River when there are some pretty good facilities at Penrith (in Sydney's west)?'
The PM, who has flown to Canada for the G7 summit, cast doubt on Queensland's ability to accommodate the two sports and questioned why taxpayer funds would be used to develop new facilities when there were existing amenities in Sydney and Melbourne.
'There's a debate over tennis and what's needed there in Brisbane as well," Mr Albanese told the Melbourne-based podcast.
'You have pretty good tennis facilities."
However, the Crisafulli state government was quick to pounce on the unexpected comments, vowing that Brisbane would host all Olympic events.
A Queensland government spokesperson told the Courier Mail on Friday that 'we are working with all levels of government to implement the 2032 Games Delivery Plan, which will see Rowing in Rockhampton and Tennis played at the upgraded Queensland Tennis Centre.'
Mr Crisafulli previously stated that his government would guarantee 'Melbourne will not be taking the tennis from Brisbane'.
Tennis Queensland CEO Cameron Pearson also weighed in on the stoush, and resoundingly backed his home state, saying 'the Premier confirmed in March that Olympic and Paralympic tennis will be played in Brisbane, and we've had productive discussions since'.
Yet, despite vocal protest from high-ranking Queensland officials, the Prime Minister added 'it might be that you just can't do everything in one spot in the future' and that it was 'legitimate for there to be proper discussion'.
Hosting the rowing in the notoriously crocodile "infested" waters of the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton has attracted ridicule and furore, with a recent hydrological study also concluding the river drops to almost zero flow in the winter months when the games are due to be held.
A Brisbane 2032 spokesperson reiterated the venue master plan process was still ongoing and that many details were still yet to be determined.
'Delivering world-class fields of play that provide an optimal performance environment for athletes remains key for Brisbane 2032 and ensuring International Federations are involved in planning and delivery will help achieve this outcome,' a Brisbane 2032 statement read.
In response to the row, an Albanese government spokesperson said there needed to be a 'common sense approach' in the planning of the games and that any changes to the scheduling would be decided in tandem with the Queensland government.
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