2032 boss clarifies nuclear power comments as Games symbols travel SEQ

The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will not use nuclear power to reduce carbon emissions,the organising committee president Andrew Liveris clarified on Saturday afternoon.

Though the Games have a carbon-positive goal,Liveris said he was not advocating for the events’ energy infrastructure to be nuclear.

Brisbane sports fans Jeremy Rigby and wife Yuko want to see the trampolining and swimming as well as skateboarding and the Opening Ceremony at the 2032 Games.

Brisbane sports fans Jeremy Rigby and wife Yuko want to see the trampolining and swimming as well as skateboarding and the Opening Ceremony at the 2032 Games.Tony Moore

“I am 100 per cent aligned with the energy policies of the state and the country,” Liveris told journalists at an event in front of Brisbane’s City Hall to mark nine years until the 2032 Games begin.

“My comment[in Saturday’sThe Australiannewspaper] was all about aspiration on technologies.”

Liveris said his day job as chair of luxury electric car brand Lucid Motors and director of the investment fund BlackRock Long Term Private Capital includes researching future energy technologies.

“I never said we should use nuclear power for the Games. I said nuclear should be on the table for clean energy;that’s all,” he said,adding that nuclear power was widely used in Europe.

Liveris said Brisbane’s 2032 Games would be climate positive;above the climate-neutral bar being set for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

“We are going to be the first climate-positive Games. That is a pretty high bar.”

Brisbane 2032 Games president Andrew Liveris,Brisbane 2032 and Games chief executive Cindy Hook mark nine years until the Games begin.

Brisbane 2032 Games president Andrew Liveris,Brisbane 2032 and Games chief executive Cindy Hook mark nine years until the Games begin.Tony Moore

Liveris’ comments came as the internationally recognised symbols of the Olympics – the five interlaced Olympic Rings and the Agitos of the Paralympics were displayed in Queensland for the first time since the Sydney Olympics closed in 2000.

Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) president Ian Chesterman said the Victoria’s decision to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games because of rising costs to stage regional events would not mean events in regional Queensland would be scaled back.

“I think the Olympic Games have had a lot of experience in running regional events,” Chesterman said.

“If you look at the Winter Olympic model it is very much based on cities and mountains in a number of regions and a number of villages.

“I think we are well-placed to handle that particular business model.”

The Olympic and Paralympic symbols - what do they represent

Olympic Rings symbol

The Paralympian Agitos

During the event several Australian Olympians and Paralympians spoke about the influence of Sydney’s 2000 Olympics on their sporting dream.

Wheelchair basketball athlete Hannah Dodd told of watching the Sydney Games as an eight-year-old and seeing the Agitos symbol.

“I remember as an eight-year-old walking out of the stadium going:‘This is what I want to do’.”

Wheelchair basketballer Hannah Dodd was inspired to become an athlete after watching the 2000 Sydney Games as an eight-year-old.

Wheelchair basketballer Hannah Dodd was inspired to become an athlete after watching the 2000 Sydney Games as an eight-year-old.Tony Moore

Four-time Olympian Cate Campbell,who has won four Olympic swimming gold medals,spoke about watching Sydney’s Games from South Africa,then reflected on the soccer success of the Matildas at the Women’s World Cup.

“We have seen the galvanising power of sport just the past couple of days at the FIFA World Cup and the unifying power that it has had on this nation,” Campbell said.

“Now I want you to think about that,but times it by 10 because the Olympic Games is the biggest sporting event in the world.”

Where to see the Olympic Rings and the Paralympic Agitos this weekend

In Brisbane:

On the Gold Coast:

Sunshine Coast:

Tony Moore is a senior reporter at Brisbane Times and covers urban affairs and the changing city.

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