Queensland Academy of Sport Bill 2025

As Minister for Sport, moved the second reading and championed the bill as essential to establishing the QAS as an independent statutory body with the agility needed for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, noting the government accelerated the transition from two years to six months.

“Unlike those opposite, we know how important this transition is for our athletes and this timing ensures minimal disruption for athletes and sports in the crucial lead-up to LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

Confirmed the opposition supports the bill's objectives but moved amendments to strengthen it, arguing the bill misses key opportunities on para-sport board representation, women's sport funding transparency, child athlete safety, and regional athlete support.

“As drafted, the Queensland Academy of Sport Bill misses key opportunities to make the academy the very best that it can be. In so doing, the bill misses the opportunity to grow Queensland athletes to be the very best that they can be.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

As committee chair, supported the bill and noted overwhelming stakeholder support for transitioning the QAS to a statutory body, while addressing opposition concerns about child safety by pointing to existing safeguards detailed on page 19 of the committee report.

“It is a pleasure to recommend to the House the Queensland Academy of Sport Bill as it stands. Whilst those opposite have said they support it, they have gone to great lengths to move a couple of amendments, which I do not think will improve the existing bill whatsoever.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

As deputy committee chair, supported the bill's objectives but raised significant concerns about governance transparency, lack of reporting obligations, insufficient child safety provisions, absence of disability representation on the board, and no mention of regional athletes.

“We have perhaps the only opportunity in front of us between now and 2032 to actually get this governance right on the QAS.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

Supported the bill as a committee member, noting the government accelerated the transition to six months and highlighting the importance of the QAS for athlete preparation ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

“Our government, by introducing this bill, accelerated the transition to be completed in six months, maximising our athletes' performance in the lead-up to the LA 2028 and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

Supported the bill's intent to transform the QAS into a statutory body but raised concerns about governance transparency, child safety provisions, gender equity, para-sport funding, and regional athlete access.

“While I support its intent, I cannot support its current structure. Let us take this moment to get it right—to strengthen transparency, protect children and legislate for equity and inclusion.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

Supported the bill as essential for establishing the QAS as an independent statutory body with operational efficiency and flexibility, noting the Crisafulli government accelerated the transition to six months from Labor's planned two years.

“The Crisafulli government accelerated the transition to be completed in six months. This move will cut red tape and provide the academy with the independence and agility it needs to be at the top of its game in elite sport.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

Supported the structural reform but raised concerns about governance safeguards, women's sport funding, para-sport representation, regional athlete support, and child safety, backing the opposition's amendments.

“The opposition recognises that with the upcoming Olympics, legislating the QAS to become a statutory body would have great benefits to sport in this state. We need a QAS that is agile, efficient and flexible. However, the current bill provides a governance framework that is not fit for purpose.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

Supported the bill as a fresh boost for elite sport, noting the Crisafulli government delivered in 183 days what Labor failed to over 1,340 days of dithering, and highlighted existing child safety and integrity standards already incorporated in the legislation.

“The academy needs to be a statutory body to gain greater independence, flexibility and efficiency in its operations, particularly in preparing athletes for the Brisbane 2032 games and beyond.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

Supported the bill and the transition to a statutory body but backed opposition amendments on disability representation, women's sport reporting, regional participation, and child safety, arguing good governance requires setting targets and processes, not just good intentions.

“I intrinsically know that things do not happen just because you have good intentions, you must actually put processes in place in order for them to happen.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill and the government's 2032 Delivery Plan, praising the accelerated transition and highlighting the legacy infrastructure for the Redlands including the Birkdale whitewater facility.

“I am so pleased to see that the Crisafulli LNP government were prepared to accelerate that so that our athletes had access to the leadership and support they need to be able to be their very best come the 2032 games.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard

Supported the shadow minister's amendments, criticising the bill's drafting for having no seat at the table for para-athletes with lived experience and no safeguards for women's sport funding and reporting.

“I was really alarmed to see the drafting of this legislation that had no seat at the table for our para-athletes.”— 2025-05-01View Hansard