Queensland is inching closer to launching a bid for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games after the state government announced it would help fund a study into how much the events would cost taxpayers.
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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will chair the cross-government taskforce charged with assessing venues, transport infrastructure and economic viability.
The state government will match the federal government's $10 million contribution for the study, which will build on studies already conducted by the southeast Queensland Council of Mayors.
Tuesday's announcement comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged the state government to throw its weight behind the bid, saying he believed Queensland even had the potential to top the "tremendous" Sydney 2000 Games.
Ms Palaszczuk said a recent IOC decision allowing a bid from a region rather than a city was a "game-changer".
"This next stage will allow an Olympics that is inclusive of Queensland," she said.
"We delivered a Commonwealth Games that got the world's attention, that was inclusive of cities outside the Gold Coast such as Townsville and Cairns and we delivered them on time and under budget."
Australian Associated Press