Prime Minister
PRIME MINISTER: I am so pleased that everyone has been able to come together to focus on Queensland’s bid for the 2032 Olympics. Queensland is going to be taking up the flag for Australia, and so as far as the Olympics are concerned, we are all Queenslanders. We are going to be working very hard to support the bid and we’ve already got $10 million down for the bid and I look forward meeting with the other partners in this process. Obviously, Queensland taking the lead together with the councils and we’re really there to just provide the strong backing of the Federal Government. And Ted, as my representative on this process, will be working very closely with all levels of government, but also with the sporting organisations, working through the Sports Minister at a federal level. But I think it’s really exciting. I mean, are you excited? I am, I think it’s tremendous.
JOURNALIST: Very excited. And $10 million, just a little drop in the ocean. If we don’t get it… I mean, is it worth a shot for $10 million?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh look, this is absolutely worth a shot. I mean, I’m a Sydney boy and I know what it did to our city and I know what it did for Australia and I know what it did for the national economy at that time as well. And I know what it can do for Queensland and for Australia. So look, they had me at hello when this was first raised. When I was up in Osaka I had the opportunity to meet with the IOC President John Coates and I was already in bidding mode. I was already in there, selling hard. Because I think the opportunity for Queensland is really, really exciting and we have a lot to offer. I joked with Dr Bach at the time, I said, “See, you’ve got to understand the rivalry between Queensland and New South Wales. Queensland will want to do it even better than Sydney.” And we all know the Sydney games were the best ever, we think. But I have no doubt Queenslanders will want to go one better. That’s great for the games, that’s great for Australia. So I’m really looking forward to working to see how we can back them in. We’re going to have a go, we’re going to get a go, we’re going to get the Games. Thanks very much.