Ipswich City Council backs SEQ bid for 2032 Games
15 April 2021
Ipswich City Council has formally backed the proposal to secure the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in South-East Queensland, advancing Ipswich’s role as a proposed host city.
At a special meeting of council today, elected representatives unanimously supported three key recommendations on council’s involvement in:
- To approve council providing its commitment and support to the election of Brisbane, Queensland as the Host City of the Games; and
- To approve council executing the Delivery Partner Guarantee Deed and any associated documents.
- That pursuant to section 257(1) of the Local Government Act 2009, council delegate to the Chief Executive Officer, the power to exercise the powers of council to negotiate, execute and manage the Deliver Partner Guarantee Deed and any associated documents on council’s behalf.
Mayor Teresa Harding said the vote has sent a clear message ahead of the host decision for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics: Ipswich is Games-ready.
“Ipswich, Queensland’s sporting heartland, is the state’s fastest-growing city with our population projected to almost double to 435,000 over the next 10 years,” she said.
“It is council’s priority to advocate for the events and supporting infrastructure that will secure our city’s future prosperity. South-East Queensland’s 2032 proposal has our full support.”
Councillors considered a report concerning a request by the State for council to enter into a Delivery Partner Guarantee Deed, which will commit council to providing support, in the form of public services, use of venues and potential funding contributions, to the State and other entities for the purposes of hosting the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The purpose of the report was to provide councillors with an overview of the background and structure of the “Brisbane 2032” proposal to host the Games and the obligations that will be imposed on council under the Delivery Partner Guarantee Deed and to seek a resolution to approve council providing its commitment and support to the hosting of the Games including by entry into the deed.
Ipswich could play host to some of the world’s best athletes as part of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, after it was included as a host city in the Brisbane 2032 proposal.
The under-construction Brisbane Lions’ training and support centre at Springfield is currently being considered as the venue for the football preliminaries and modern pentathlon in the 2032 Games.
Mayor Harding said there was potential for more Ipswich venues to be considered as part of the proposal, as the city continues to grow and the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games master plan develops.
“Ipswich is a city with a very strong sporting history, and we will be advocating for an array of opportunities to be considered as the master plan develops in the coming decade,” she said.
“North Ipswich Reserve Stadium has the potential to play an important role as both a venue and training facility in the lead up to the 2032 Games.”
The special council meeting on the proposal was largely held behind closed doors, to consider confidential information.