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Olympics boss says ‘building Brand Brisbane’ first item on agenda

Building “Brand Brisbane” may be a big task ahead of the 2032 Olympics, but earning global recognition with a rare United Nations gong will help, 2032 Games organising committee president Andrew Liveris says.

Oct 13, 2023, updated Oct 13, 2023
President of the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee Andrew Liveris. (AAP Image/Darren England)

President of the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee Andrew Liveris. (AAP Image/Darren England)

Mr Liveris on Thursday said it was “early days” in the organising committee’s quest to create a world-recognised brand for Brisbane as they look to generate corporate sponsorship for the Games.

“Are we known out there in the world? Not really,” he said.

“I hate the term ‘tier two city’ but Australia from a long way away is Sydney, maybe Melbourne, the Opera House.

“I am telling it as it is. We are going to have to overcome that but we have time and we have a plan.”

Mr Liveris believed their task would be made easier with Brisbane becoming only the second city in the world to earn the United Nations’ gold level for sustainable development, joining Bolivia’s La Paz.

The achievement was announced at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit in Brisbane attended by almost 1200 delegates and 118 mayors from around the world.

“This (gold level) will help,” said Mr Liveris, a summit guest speaker.

“To elevate the city to that level is the continuation of the building of ‘Brand Brisbane’.

“This is all about setting the standard on inclusiveness and sustainability and what better example than the award.”

Mr Liveris said the gong would also benefit his visit to the upcoming International Olympic Committee session in Mumbai.

“I can now add this line to the report, that will add to the sponsor conversations,” he said.

“Where do we go from here is a continuation of the momentum to put Brisbane and Queensland on the world map – to make us a tier one city where everyone wants to come.”

Mr Liveris will fly out for Monday’s 141st IOC session which is set to approve proposed sport cricket for inclusion at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“I am personally very excited by it (prospect of Olympic cricket),” Mr Liveris said.

He said he would love it if cricket was played at Brisbane but believed it was too premature to talk about its possible 2032 inclusion.

Meanwhile Mr Liveris said issues raised about the 2032 Games by an inquiry were manageable.

A Senate committee last month called for the Queensland government to review plans to stage the 2032 Games at the Gabba before work gets underway on the stadium’s $2.7 billion makeover.

The call came after Victoria withdrew from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games amid claims of an estimated $7 billion cost blowout.

“Senate inquiries are a necessary part of a process, clearly there was a need to do that post the Melbourne decision,” Mr Liveris said.

“We are a very different business model.

“The issues that were unearthed in there are all manageable.”

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