Dobbo Chats – Olympic rowing venue approval (18 September)

0:00Welcome back to Rural Queen's day today. Well, everybody's talking about the Rocky rowing and all the myths that got busted up have been broken up. The IOC absolutely hellbent. I'm making sure that everybody knows it, but is it all over now? Hayden Johnson says no. World rowing has technically endorsed Rockampton's Fittsborough River. But the government haven't had a look at the report now. We've got to see the detailed design fit for thousands of spectators. We've got to see while world rowing has endorsed the course whether or not the independent infrastructure coordination theory will give it a tick to actually transform it to make it this global event. Remembering the capacity the future of river still has to be determined. Los Angeles and we'll have a 14,000 spectator stadium. Now the design for Rockampton is about 80% complete, but it's understood to be finalised before the end of the year.

1:03Now, everybody's talking about these funding arrangements and look, I get it. I just don't understand why when we could build a purpose built one that's going to have legacy out of Brisbane. It's an old quarry. Do it. I get a lot of people listening to me would think it's great that Rockampton are getting the rowing. And I do, I genuinely do. But look, think about where the population of rowing is. I mean, if you're going to hold a rowing rigout, you could nearly hold one a bar called and there's a ski park there and a rowing park. I mean, why don't you hold one on the Thompson? I mean, I know that's ridiculous, but I mean, Rockampton on the Fittsborough, when we can build something, I get it. Now, it will absolutely open long-term growth, but it's a big pony ride from Brisbane, where the majority of people are going to be. Now, I'm, look, part of me loves the regions that they are doing it here, but I also think it could be a real, real mistake.

2:07They have a crystal fully enjoyed, they're digging their heels in on this one. Big time. But let me just tell you this now, they have to 100% get this sorted. The controversy around it just continues. There's 500 rowers who signed against it. Crystal Fully has gone against the tide. He absolutely believes it. Rowling Queensland are against it. There's a lot of bruhaha going on around this. So that's the point that I'd like to see, that they get it sorted once and for all. This is a huge time in this industry and 2032 is coming and their infrastructure is important. But we're spending all this time on a bloody rowing facility. We're worried about it when there's so much drama going on. People and police struggling. Financially, no one can survive at the moment, yet we're sitting here talking about it. It's a real worry. We're going to take a break, come back. Can the government just get it sorted once and for all?

3:10So we don't have to have any discussions about it. We can all move on. If it's going to be in Rockhampton, that's it. It's in Rockhampton. No more discussion. But why continually goes on? It's us against them. And no one is none the wiser. And there's a lot of man-hours being wasted on bullshit chat like this. I don't think anybody in the bush cares about if Rowling's in Rockhampton. What they care about is being able to put food on the table, having phone service, having a health service and having better roads. Schooling, education, policing. So let's focus on the stuff that's in priority. And let's make a decision once and for all because no one actually keeps a crap about an elite of sport like Rowling. Most of us want to know where they can survive and how they can keep their businesses running. Yes, it's all nice that we're going to have Olympics in 2032. But let's just get this sorted out once and for all and stop all the crap around it. We'll take a break, come back. This is Rural Queensland today.