CAPALABA MP Don Brown says that he doubts that Redlands will host events in the 2032 Olympics because the city's bid for a whitewater rafting and kayaking facility is light years behind that of Logan.
His comments have angered Redland mayor Karen Williams who said she was gobsmacked that Mr Brown would be so disparaging of his community's desire to be part of an exciting opportunity.
With Logan City Council having announced in June that a feasibility and site selections for an Olympic-standard whitewater park would be completed within weeks, Mr Brown said that he was supportive of Redlands' efforts but worried the city had badly missed the starter's gun.
"Even with no mayor and councillors and an interim administration at Logan, it is clear that Logan's bid for the whitewater rafting and kayaking is light years ahead of Redland City Council," Mr Brown said.
"I want to be up front with locals and say that I am not confident that Redlands will host any events in 2032 due to council's late start.
"It is fortunate that we have Chandler on our door step, where Redlanders will be able to see big ticket events such as the swimming and cycling if we win the 2032 bid."
Mr Brown said that he hoped the council would prove him wrong and come home strongly to secure an event.
Cr Williams said the council had been working with the Council of Mayors (SEQ) for four years as part of the 2032 Olympics feasibility study, whereas Logan came on board only recently.
"Being at the table since the beginning and having the backing of the Council of Mayors (SEQ) gives us the edge, as does having the backing of our traditional owners who have strong cultural connections to kayaking and canoeing and I know they will share my disappointment with Mr Brown's comments," she said.
Cr Williams said the Olympics bid was about providing a catalyst to secure the transport infrastructure that Mr Brown's government was supposed to deliver.
"So I can only assume he doesn't want us to be part of the opportunity so he has an excuse not to deliver projects like the Eastern Busway and the others his community has been calling for," she said.
Cr Williams said she challenged Mr Brown to work with council to make the project a reality rather than derail it.
"It is only because of council's ongoing advocacy that Redlands Coast was earmarked as a potential location for a whitewater rafting facility in the Olympic feasibility study," she said.
"The legacies of a regional Olympics bid and whitewater rafting facility are exciting and I would've hoped Mr Brown would fight for his community as he is elected to do, rather than back someone else's."
Mr Brown said that he was supportive of the council's efforts to secure an event for a potential 2032 Olympics but felt the Redlands was a long way off.
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