2 July 2010
Tourism Minister and Member for Southport Peter Lawlor has today opened a community and business forum which highlights the Gold Coast's bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Mr Lawlor said the Griffith University-run forum "Ready Willing and Able" allowed business people and residents to debate and discuss the bid.
"The Bligh Government has committed to bidding for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast because we see enormous benefits for the region," Mr Lawlor said.
"As the Premier highlighted in March when she announced the intention to bid, this represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to host one of the world's great events in one of the world's great cities.
"As the Member for Southport, and as someone who has lived here for most of my life, I couldn't agree more.
"Hosting a major international event like the Commonwealth Games will create jobs and boost the construction, transport, tourism and hospitality sectors. And it will act as a catalyst for transport, venues and housing infrastructure."
Members for Burleigh and Albert Christine Smith and Margaret Keech said the benefits of a successful bid would not just be limited to new infrastructure.
"If our bid is successful the games have the potential to inspire an entire generation of young Australians to get active. Another community benefit would come in the form of giving thousands of volunteers the opportunity to be involved with a once-in-a-lifetime event," they said.
Member for Broadwater Peta-Kaye Croft said expected growth would be catered for with infrastructure such as light rail - opening in 2014 - which will service the proposed Games Village at Parklands as well as major venues critical to the games bid through to Broadbeach.
Planning has already identified a future stage should link to Helensvale and provide an important linkage between the light and heavy rail systems. At the same time, more frequent bus services on the Gold Coast's East-West routes will be examined to provide links to the light rail.
