‘Out of his depth’: Rowers escalate Rocky revolt against Bleijie

A co-author of an open letter signed by more than 500 rowers – including Olympic gold medallists – has hit back at the deputy premier after they were branded “agitators” for pushing for a Brisbane 2032 legacy facility in south-east Queensland.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, who had oversight of Olympic venue delivery, told a Queensland Media Club event in Brisbane this week the letter from 542 rowers, including more than 50 Olympians, was “a disappointing read”.

Bleijie said the rowers, including Olympic gold medallists Drew Ginn, Kate Slatter, Peter Antonie and Rosie Popa, were “agitators” who “turn[ed] up their noses at Rocky from afar”.

One of the authors of that letter, QRowunion chairman Gary Merritt, said Bleijie’s comments showed he was “out of his depth”.

“Our Olympians are the elite, the very best of the best,” Merritt said.

“They are agitating to ensure Queensland is not embarrassed on the world stage and that the Queensland taxpayer is not footing an unnecessary outrageous bill for a white elephant.

“The deputy premier still thinks he is building a rowing centre to host country regattas. Olympians know how much the right venue matters – not just for performance, but for national pride and legacy outcomes.”

But Bleijie said the “elites” were trying to take rowing away from regional Queensland.

“There will always be difference of opinions about venues and locations, so it’s no surprise there’s been attempts by some to muddy the waters, so to speak, including attempts to – god forbid – move it to New South Wales,” he said.

“Over our dead body.”

If the international federations did not sign off on Rockhampton, and there was no back-up plan in Queensland, Olympic and Paralympic rowing and canoeing would likely be contested at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith.

At the Queensland Media Club event on Wednesday, Bleijie said World Rowing and the International Canoe Federation supported the government’s Fitzroy River plan and wanted to “make it work”.

“I can announce that World Rowing and the International Canoeing [sic] Federation are supporting the move for rowing and canoeing in Rocky to move to the next phase of the design process,” he said.

“… Both have confirmed – both have confirmed – no other venues are being considered.”

Bleijie’s office supplied supporting statements from World Rowing president Jean-Christophe Rolland and International Canoe Federation president Thomas Konietzko.

While Rolland and Konietzko both indicated in those statements they were willing to work with Games organisers on technical assessments of the Fitzroy River, neither declared outright support for the choice of the river to host Olympic competition.

This masthead approached World Rowing and the ICF for their views this week. As of Friday morning, neither had responded.

Bleijie said the Fitzroy River course would be a permanent facility, although river and hydrology experts have said that was impossible.

To maintain an elite competition course, worthy of the Olympics and world championships, Australian Rivers Institute director David Hamilton said this week the course would require regular dredging in perpetuity.

That differed to still courses, such as the Sydney International Regatta Centre and Moreton Bay’s proposed flatwater centre at a decommissioned quarry in Lawnton, which did not – or would not – require regular dredging to remove sediment.

The Moreton Bay proposal, which would come with about $100 million in private investment, was developed too late for the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority to consider as part of its 100-day review – a delay many within the rowing community have rued, due to the potential missed opportunity it represented.

Bleijie told the Media Club he expected final sign-off on the venue this year.

“[Once] people will see the imagery, once the architects awarded, I think people will say, ‘jeez, this is going to be an amazing facility’ – and you don’t have to go to New South Wales,” he said.

“You’ll have it right in Queensland – a 6½-hour drive, [or a] short flight away.”