Council
3 September, 2024
Mayors heading to Paris
Moreton Bay and Somerset mayors, Peter Flannery and Jason Wendt, will be heading to Europe and Singapore in February 2025, as part of a Council of Mayors South East Queensland (CoMSEQ) delegation, which forms part of the Brisbane 2032 investigations.
The trip will focus on learnings from the Paris 2024 Olympics, in addition to gaining global insights, partnerships and solutions to tackle some of South East Queensland’s (SEQ) biggest challenges including growth, connectivity, affordability, and waste.
Mayor Flannery, who is also Deputy Chair of CoMSEQ, said it was CoMSEQ who advocated for the delegation, to explore how bringing the Olympics and Paralympics to SEQ could generate much-needed funding and the delivery of major infrastructure for the region.
“I’ve been vocal about the legacy we want 2032 to bring to City of Moreton Bay, so this is an important trip,” he said.
“It will focus on learnings from the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics and will see us evaluate successes and challenges.
“I want to ensure that during the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics, City of Moreton Bay is at its peak. And then post the Olympics, that this venue (the Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre) will bring a legacy benefit to our city, and is able to cater for sporting, cultural, and entertainment events.”
Mayor Jason Wendt said he is “looking forward” to the delegation, as it will help put Somerset on an international map.
“International delegations have proven valuable in the past and these trips are about fact finding, information sharing, new government partnerships and bringing new ideas home,” he said.
“These trips are also about advocating for our region and we all know there is strength in numbers, so by joining our colleagues on the CoMSEQ delegation, we are able to bring back new, innovative solutions to some of our biggest challenges.
“We need to be part of the discussion and the journey so hopefully Somerset residents can see some benefit.”
Mayor Wendt added that seeing and investigating how regions around Paris have benefited from the 2024 Olympics, could help Council explore ways of benefiting from the Games, despite no 2032 events happening in the area.
“While we know Somerset won’t have any Olympic events, we do know regions surrounding any Olympic city have a huge increase in visitation before/during and after the event.
“There is also a possible opportunity to be an active region in supplying some of the goods and services required for the Olympics in 2032. That’s why we need to be part of the conversation.”
Mayor Flannery confirmed the CoMSEQ delegation will also stop in Singapore to investigate waste management and transport solutions, as well as Manchester, home of the original City Deal concept, to learn more about their housing initiatives.
“It is important for us to take what is successful in other cities and learn how their approach can be applied locally,” he said.
The majority of travel costs for the fact-finding mission are included as part of the councils’ membership with CoMSE
