Queensland Proposes Scrapping Diversity Quotas for Brisbane Olympics Board

A strict rule on gender and diversity could just be a recommendation as Brisbane prepares for the 2032 Olympic Games.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli speaks during the Parliamentary Friends of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement event at Queensland Parliament in Brisbane, Australia, on Oct. 27, 2021. Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images for the AOC

The Queensland state government is proposing to remove strict diversity quotas from the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG).

The move follows recommendations to streamline processes around governance in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

The Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority released its 100-Day Review (pdf) on the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games infrastructure in March 2025.

One of the key recommendations in that report was to “review and streamline strategic governance groups to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of decision making.”

A sub-recommendation was to reduce the size of the board.

The Queensland government has since released its Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, which outlines the ways the state would enact the report’s recommendations.

In addressing the need to streamline corporate governance arrangements, the state has suggested “removing certain processes, criteria and waiting periods for the appointment of nominated directors.”

A general view is seen as "BNE 2032" is displayed on a building in Brisbane, Australia, on July 21, 2021. Albert Perez/Getty Images

Under the existing Queensland government policy, the board would be instructed to ensure half its members are women, with at least one member being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background.

The Epoch Times understands, however, that the removal of a requirement for diversity does not override the requirement for diversity to be considered in appointing board directors—that guideline will remain.

A spokesperson for the Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander told The Epoch Times the Liberal National Party was “getting on with the job of delivering a winning legacy for Queensland.”

“The Crisafulli government has accepted the recommendation of the independent 100 Day Review of the Games to streamline governance arrangements,” the spokesperson said.

“The Act is currently before the State Development, Infrastructure and Works Committee.”

An OCOG is set up in whichever nation is hosting the games, and has dominion over the diverse range of event factors, from schedules through to budgeting and working alongside local communities.

Police Refuse Quotas

The proposed amendment comes just months after the Queensland Police Service (QPS) announced it would refuse a number of recommendations around diversity quotas.

A Queensland Human Rights Commission report outlined 36 recommendations on dealing with barriers for women, Indigenous people or “culturally diverse” individuals.

The QPS accepted some recommendations but rejected several others.

One of the recommendations rejected by the QPS was to “make leadership support visible,” which would have involved “taking significant steps towards diversity targets for sworn Executive Leadership Team members.”

Another rejected recommendation was around consulting with “diverse members” to identify their preferred performance indicators.