Latest news with #QueenslandMediaClub
Sydney Morning Herald
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Rocky waters ahead for Brisbane 2032's Olympic rowing plan
'...The main issue for rowing is fairness, so obviously if there's stream, typically the deeper or the middle section of the river is going to flow faster than the sides of it,' Rowing Australia chief executive Sarah Cook told me in March. 'Because a rowing course is eight to 10 lanes wide, it would make the middle lanes faster than the outside lanes, which is why it can't be used for an Olympic regatta or a Paralympic regatta, because it would be unfair for the competitors.' The minister responsible for Olympic infrastructure, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, repeated the clearly workshopped 'Pierre from Paris' line at last week's Queensland Media Club lunch, where the new intergovernmental funding agreement was announced. Dismissing rowing's concerns, Bleijie pointed to the 2028 Olympic rowing venue as a justification for Rockhampton's controversial candidature. 'In LA, the rowing facility does not meet the International Olympic Committee requirements – it's too short,' he said. 'But you know what they did? They just said, for LA it'll be OK and they signed off on it. So they do bend the rules for other venues.' For Rowing Australia life member and historian Andrew Guerin, Los Angeles was a poor comparison to make. 'The 2028 LA course is probably the worst ever used as it is shorter than normal and subject to tidal streams. All racing will have to held on the turn of high tide to minimise the impacts,' he said. 'Rocky is one step worse combining, as I understand, both stream and tide. I've got no idea how that can be managed.' Guerin said the Rocky course had little by way tide and stream mitigation, which made it difficult to control and create a fair course. And it's also prone to flooding. At the Queensland Media Club event on Thursday, Bleijie described the Fitzroy River surface as a 'mirror'. But, last August, the planned State School Championships in Rockhampton had to be relocated due to heavy rain and flash flooding. The 2032 Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 – about the same time of year. It's a risky choice. As Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi said during a May visit to Brisbane, the decision on whether to host rowing on the Fitzroy will ultimately not be the government's to make, but World Rowing. 'No one else than the federation can say 'field of play ready',' he said. While political hypocrisy is about as common as gambling in a casino, it's always good to call out. Before the election, Crisafulli and his LNP colleagues repeatedly promised to take the politics out of planning and listen to the experts. So what did the people with expertise say about the Fitzroy River? 'This option was not progressed on the basis of insufficient space for field of play and warm-up, inadequate onshore space and access road upgrade requirements, as well as limited accommodation options for athletes and officials,' the Games Independent Infrastructure and Co-ordination Authority determined in its 100-day review. The Crisafulli government ignored GIICA, running roughshod over decision-making process and overseeing the most nakedly political Games decision since Brisbane won hosting rights in 2021. The LNP claimed the electorate of Rockhampton at last year's state election, and holds it with a margin of less than 2 per cent. If you don't think that played a role in the Crisafulli government's decision, then I'd be happy to sell you the Fitzroy Bridge. Crisafulli quite rightly criticised the former Labor government's Olympic mismanagement, from Annastacia Palaszczuk's ill-informed captain's call to rebuild the Gabba to Steven Miles' embarrassing QSAC gambit. But by repeating the same mistakes, albeit on a far less consequential scale, the LNP has demonstrated it's just as willing to play politics with the Olympic Games as its predecessors.
The Age
06-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Rocky waters ahead for Brisbane 2032's Olympic rowing plan
'...The main issue for rowing is fairness, so obviously if there's stream, typically the deeper or the middle section of the river is going to flow faster than the sides of it,' Rowing Australia chief executive Sarah Cook told me in March. 'Because a rowing course is eight to 10 lanes wide, it would make the middle lanes faster than the outside lanes, which is why it can't be used for an Olympic regatta or a Paralympic regatta, because it would be unfair for the competitors.' The minister responsible for Olympic infrastructure, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, repeated the clearly workshopped 'Pierre from Paris' line at last week's Queensland Media Club lunch, where the new intergovernmental funding agreement was announced. Dismissing rowing's concerns, Bleijie pointed to the 2028 Olympic rowing venue as a justification for Rockhampton's controversial candidature. 'In LA, the rowing facility does not meet the International Olympic Committee requirements – it's too short,' he said. 'But you know what they did? They just said, for LA it'll be OK and they signed off on it. So they do bend the rules for other venues.' For Rowing Australia life member and historian Andrew Guerin, Los Angeles was a poor comparison to make. 'The 2028 LA course is probably the worst ever used as it is shorter than normal and subject to tidal streams. All racing will have to held on the turn of high tide to minimise the impacts,' he said. 'Rocky is one step worse combining, as I understand, both stream and tide. I've got no idea how that can be managed.' Guerin said the Rocky course had little by way tide and stream mitigation, which made it difficult to control and create a fair course. And it's also prone to flooding. At the Queensland Media Club event on Thursday, Bleijie described the Fitzroy River surface as a 'mirror'. But, last August, the planned State School Championships in Rockhampton had to be relocated due to heavy rain and flash flooding. The 2032 Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 – about the same time of year. It's a risky choice. As Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi said during a May visit to Brisbane, the decision on whether to host rowing on the Fitzroy will ultimately not be the government's to make, but World Rowing. 'No one else than the federation can say 'field of play ready',' he said. While political hypocrisy is about as common as gambling in a casino, it's always good to call out. Before the election, Crisafulli and his LNP colleagues repeatedly promised to take the politics out of planning and listen to the experts. So what did the people with expertise say about the Fitzroy River? 'This option was not progressed on the basis of insufficient space for field of play and warm-up, inadequate onshore space and access road upgrade requirements, as well as limited accommodation options for athletes and officials,' the Games Independent Infrastructure and Co-ordination Authority determined in its 100-day review. The Crisafulli government ignored GIICA, running roughshod over decision-making process and overseeing the most nakedly political Games decision since Brisbane won hosting rights in 2021. The LNP claimed the electorate of Rockhampton at last year's state election, and holds it with a margin of less than 2 per cent. If you don't think that played a role in the Crisafulli government's decision, then I'd be happy to sell you the Fitzroy Bridge. Crisafulli quite rightly criticised the former Labor government's Olympic mismanagement, from Annastacia Palaszczuk's ill-informed captain's call to rebuild the Gabba to Steven Miles' embarrassing QSAC gambit. But by repeating the same mistakes, albeit on a far less consequential scale, the LNP has demonstrated it's just as willing to play politics with the Olympic Games as its predecessors.
Sydney Morning Herald
03-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Arena Olympic guarantee as new federal funding deal reached
A privately funded Brisbane arena should be under construction by the end of next year, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said on Thursday as he and federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King announced a new funding agreement for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Crisafulli government removed the planned Brisbane Arena at Roma Street from its Brisbane 2032 delivery plan, instead opening up the former Go Print site at Woolloongabba – adjacent to the new Cross River Rail station – to private investment to construct a 17,000-seat arena there. Earlier this week, Treasurer David Janetzki announced a new Treasury Transaction Team to seek private capital for projects, such as the arena, and Bleijie said on Thursday he could guarantee the venue would be ready to play a role in Brisbane 2032. 'We will go to procurement on the Brisbane arena by the end of this year, so I would suspect in the next couple of months, my Department of Infrastructure and Planning will actually formally get procurement to build the arena,' he told a Queensland Media Club lunch at South Brisbane. 'Next year we'll be planning, and I suspect you'll start seeing it being built from end of next year and into 2027.' The new intergovernmental Olympic funding agreement would see $1.2 billion in federal funding, which had originally been allocated the Brisbane Arena, to be redirected to the new stadium in Victoria Park. There has been no change to the previously agreed $7.1 billion funding envelope, with the rest of the federal government's $3.44 billion contribution to fund 17 new and upgraded venues – including the new National Aquatic Centre – on a 50/50 basis with the state. Four of those venues – the Logan and Moreton Bay indoor sports centres, the Sunshine Coast outdoor stadium and Barlow Park in Cairns – went out to procurement at 1pm Thursday.
The Age
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
Arena Olympic guarantee as new federal funding deal reached
A privately funded Brisbane arena should be under construction by the end of next year, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said on Thursday as he and federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King announced a new funding agreement for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Crisafulli government removed the planned Brisbane Arena at Roma Street from its Brisbane 2032 delivery plan, instead opening up the former Go Print site at Woolloongabba – adjacent to the new Cross River Rail station – to private investment to construct a 17,000-seat arena there. Earlier this week, Treasurer David Janetzki announced a new Treasury Transaction Team to seek private capital for projects, such as the arena, and Bleijie said on Thursday he could guarantee the venue would be ready to play a role in Brisbane 2032. 'We will go to procurement on the Brisbane arena by the end of this year, so I would suspect in the next couple of months, my Department of Infrastructure and Planning will actually formally get procurement to build the arena,' he told a Queensland Media Club lunch at South Brisbane. 'Next year we'll be planning, and I suspect you'll start seeing it being built from end of next year and into 2027.' The new intergovernmental Olympic funding agreement would see $1.2 billion in federal funding, which had originally been allocated the Brisbane Arena, to be redirected to the new stadium in Victoria Park. There has been no change to the previously agreed $7.1 billion funding envelope, with the rest of the federal government's $3.44 billion contribution to fund 17 new and upgraded venues – including the new National Aquatic Centre – on a 50/50 basis with the state. Four of those venues – the Logan and Moreton Bay indoor sports centres, the Sunshine Coast outdoor stadium and Barlow Park in Cairns – went out to procurement at 1pm Thursday.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Glaring $300 cash boost omission as treasurer promises cost-of-living support for millions of Aussies
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has signalled that while next week's Federal Budget will be a deficit, there will still be nuggets of cost-of-living relief for many. The budget will be delivered much earlier than usual this year due to the upcoming federal election, which has yet to be given an official date. During a pre-budget speech in Brisbane on Tuesday, Chalmers didn't give away significant details of what the Budget would contain, like if the $3.5 billion energy rebate initiative would be continued. However, the budget would have an impact for everyday Australians. 'What I can say is that there'll be more cost of living help in the budget, the form of that will be made clear to you and over the course of the next week or so,' he told the Queensland Media Club. NAB paints grim future as Trump's America takes hold of Australia: 'Looming recession' Tiny Aussie town offers $680,000 salary to attract one worker: 'More than just money' Accountant's ATO warning after $20,000 tax refund is refused: 'Getting stricter' Shortly after his speech, he told the ABC's 7:30 Report that the government has ensured this year's Budget will be "meaningful but responsible". 'It will recognise that even though we've made a lot of progress together, we've got growth rebounding solidly, inflation down, real wages up, unemployment low, we've got the debt down," he said. 'They're all good developments but people are still doing it tough and that's why there will be cost-of-living relief in our fourth budget just like in the first three, but it will be really responsible once again.'The government has remained tight-lipped on whether it continue rebates handed down last year to help Aussies with their electricity bills. Households across the country were given $75 every three months, totalling $300, to battle the ever-increasing utility bill. It was recently revealed that the energy regulator approved a draft commitment to increase electricity prices by nearly 9 per cent from July, which will impact people in New South Wales, South Australia, and southeast Queensland. Following this, Energy Minister Chris Bowen was asked whether Aussies could expect to get more energy rebates. "As the prime minister, the treasurer and I have made clear, we will always consider what more can be done," he said. "There's a budget coming soon, and we'll continue that approach of considering what more we can do." The government announced last year that it planned to slash student loan debts across the country by 20 per cent. It had already passed legislation to change the way HECS-HELP loans were indexed every year, which reduced the average debt by about $1,200. But Labor wants to go further with a $16 billion plan to provide HECS relief. It was announced in November as an election promise and, as a result, will have to be factored into the 2025-26 budget. If Labor wins the federal election, it also plans to spend $427 million over five years to subsidise three days a week of child care for families who have a combined income of less than $530,000 per year. The party plans to introduce the policy on January 1 next year. The government also promised to follow a recommendation from the Productivity Commission to dump the activity test to make it easier for low-income parents to access cheaper child care. The activity test weighs up how many approved activities you perform per week to determine how much subsidised child care you can receive. The activities include paid work, unpaid work in a family business, work experience or internship, setting up your own business, study, volunteering, and actively looking for work. The more hours you do, the more your child care is subsidised. You can find out the number of hours per activity here. Both sides of politics have been warned about dishing out cost-of-living sweeteners ahead of the federal election. Deloitte Access Economics partner Stephen Smith said the budget is not in the best position and throwing out headline-grabbing policies could do more harm than good. 'Against this backdrop, it is critical that each new dollar of spending is delivering value for money. Unfortunately, in the lead-up to a federal election, that is not the case,' he said. 'Value for money can be hard to come by in election years, but the long-term budget projections show deficits as far as the eye can see, and ineffective spending is the last thing Australia needs.' Chalmers has revealed that next week's budget will be in the red. While his government was able to deliver back-to-back surpluses, which hadn't been achieved in a decade, the Treasurer said this year was a little different. "A defining feature of our first three budgets was responsible economic management. That will be a defining feature of the fourth as well," he said. "Even this year, where we will be printing a deficit for this year, it will be much, much smaller than what we inherited from our political opponents, and that shows the progress we have been able to make." The mid-year economic outlook forecast a $26.9 billion deficit for the 2024-25 financial year. It's expected to blow out to $46.9 billion in 2025-26. The Budget will be delivered on Tuesday, March 25 at Parliament House in Canberra. Chalmers will outline all the funding measures that will be put in place for 12 months from July 1 this year. The government hasn't yet revealed when the federal election will be. There was speculation it could be next month, however, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shot that down recently. The election will have to be held on or by May in to access your portfolio
