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The Queensland bid is on hold but the AOC believes it could drive the recovery post-coronavirus pandemic.Credit:Getty Images

“On the other side of the crisis,we think the candidature has a role to play,” Carroll said. “There’s a 10-year runway. There’s the other major events that a thing like the Olympic Games will start to attract to Australia.”

Already locked in the women’s basketball world championships in Sydney and the world road cycling championships in Wollongong,both in 2022. Beyond,there’s the possibility of the women’s soccer World Cup in 2023 and the men’s rugby World Cup in 2027. Australia have made bids for both. “The Olympic Games is the icing on the cake in the end,” Carroll said.

Carroll said there would be immediate work in planning and tourism,and nearer to the time work in businesses providing services to the Games as well as at the Olympics themselves. Typically,he said,the host broadcaster employed 10,000 local people to produce the Olympics coverage. These would be spread across the state.

“If you think about it a different way,after the COVID-19 pandemic,the additional benefits and drivers are actually an incentive towards hosting the Games,” Carroll said.

“And hosting the Games is getting cheaper each time. The IOC is simplifying the Games.”

Host cities are now encouraged to use existing and temporary venues,smaller than previously. “The IOC now says,if you don’t need it in the future,don’t build it,” Carroll said. “Just do a temporary facility. You’ll see it in Tokyo[next year] and certainly in Paris and Los Angeles,hosts in 2024 and 2028.

Extras such as live sites are optional henceforth. “You can see the scale is being adjusted,and for good measure,” Carroll said.

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