source : the age
Rockhampton’s Fitzroy River is still a long way off being confirmed as a Brisbane 2032 Olympic venue, despite Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie’s insistence on Friday that technical assessments of the course have all but cleared it for elite competition.
Bleijie’s insistence came as a flood warning for the Fitzroy River catchment was current on Friday, less than two months after Rockhampton flooded in January.
Asked if he was concerned about flooding in 2032, Bleijie simply said: “No.”
Speaking in Moreton Bay, a region that has proposed an alternative purpose-built venue at Lawnton, Bleijie said Rockhampton remained the government’s only choice.
“I’m not surprised by other areas and other groups trying to sabotage a facility that they want it somewhere else,” Bleijie said.
“That happens every time, but it’s not going to happen this time. Rowing will be on the mighty Fitzroy River in Rockhampton.”
Bleijie said assessments had been undertaken on the river “for the best part of the last 12 months” and the government was in discussion with the two international governing bodies – World Rowing and the International Canoe Federation – about its suitability for Olympic competition.
“Nothing in the assessments that I’ve seen would give me any indication that it couldn’t happen in the mighty Fitzroy River – that’s why we’re so confident,” he said.
“We’re just working behind the scenes with the international [rowing] federation, the IOC, and the canoeing federation. I’m not concerned about it at all, and everything I’ve seen would indicate we are full steam ahead.”
But this masthead understands while the international federations had provided input into the assessment, they had not been fully involved.
While Bleijie and the Crisafulli government are holding fast, the venue choice is not theirs to make. World Rowing and the ICF will ultimately decide whether Rockhampton hosts Olympic and Paralympic rowing and are yet to visit the site, let alone sign off on its inclusion as a Brisbane 2032 venue.
This masthead understands the prospect of 2032 Olympic rowing and canoe being held at Penrith is “real” and frustration is growing over the Queensland government’s commentary and Bleijie’s behaviour.
A growing number of elite rowers have expressed their opposition to the Fitzroy River plan, which they say will struggle to provide a fair course due to differing lane conditions, as a result of water movement and varying depths.
Bleijie dismissed those concerns out of hand on Friday.
“I think it’s more about they don’t want to go to regional Queensland, which I think is really bad and distasteful and disgraceful,” he said.
“Regional Queensland is a beautiful part [of the state], and Rockhampton is a beautiful city, and they must have in their mind that there’s going to be this whole tin shed on the mighty Fitzroy River – it’s not.
“The investment going in to the Olympic and Paralympic rowing venue on the mighty Fitzroy River in Rockhampton is going to be unbelievable.”
The International Olympic Committee has openly questioned the decision, and last May Bleijie was reportedly involved in a “tense” meeting over the Rockhampton choice.
Last month, Brisbane 2032 organisers were grilled about the Games delivery plan, and just “how final” it was.
“Just as a reminder, and for the avoidance of any doubts … these venues and plans still need to be signed off by the international federations, and this is key,” IOC member Ingmar De Vos told the Brisbane 2032 organising committee in Milan.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
