Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has labelled Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner as "crass" and "arrogant" after he was snubbed again by the Olympics organising committee.
Today the South East Queensland Council of Mayors, chaired by Mr Schrinner, voted in Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart would join the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee.
The decision followed Redlands Mayor Karen Williams standing down from the committee after she crashed her car while drink driving.
Mr Tate said he or Deputy Mayor Donna Gates should be appointed to the board instead.
The Gold Coast is set to host about a quarter of the 2032 Olympic events.
"The Lord Mayor of Brisbane somehow can't avoid playing politics, that's the disappointing part," Mr Tate said.
"It's crass — no respect and OK, you're Lord Mayor of Brisbane, but when you come to the Gold Coast you'll get the same cold shoulder.
"If you don't stay humble and consult, you're just being arrogant.
In a statement, Mr Schrinner said "there are 12 councils in SEQ and 11 of them are actively working together and collaborating in the interests of our region and its residents".
"Gold Coast has chosen to remove themselves from this discussion," the statement said.
Ms Stewart said she was voted in by a secret ballot and felt "grateful for the support and trust" placed upon her.
"I will be advocating and supporting south-east Queensland as I have been chosen to," she said.
"We currently don't hold an Olympics event [in Noosa], but that makes us be in a perfect position to be an impartial broker and to advocate for all of south-east Queensland, as I'm supposed to do in this role.
"This was a position that was open to the South-East Queensland Council of Mayors … Mayor Tate is not a part of the South East Queensland Council of Mayors."
Another dispute over Olympics
Mr Tate and Mr Schrinner have butted heads publicly before over Olympic matters.
The City of Gold Coast has left and rejoined the Council of Mayors multiple times over the past decade.
Last year the City of Gold Coast voted to resign its membership at the behest of Mr Tate.
Then in March the Gold Coast was excluded from a $1.8 billion infrastructure deal signed exclusively between members of the South-East Council of Mayors and the federal and state governments.
Mr Tate later said he would not "kiss arse" to get appointed to the Olympic and Paralympic Organising Committee, but denied there was any personal animosity between him and Mr Schrinner.
Today Mr Tate said he did not regret leaving the Council of Mayors, which cost ratepayers $350,000 in membership fees.
"When it comes to vote, you get the same number of votes to a small council whose subscription may be $12,000," he said.
In a statement issued earlier today to announce the appointment of Ms Stewart to the committee, Mr Schrinner said "regional collaboration" was "a team sport".
"This is a great example of the councils who worked together to secure the Games continuing to work together as a team in the interest of our region and its communities," he said.
"SEQ councils will play an important role during the Games, and I'm looking forward to working with Mayor Stewart to ensure they are an active part of the region's 2032 journey."
'More skin in the game'
Brisbane will host the majority of events for the 2032 games, many of which will be held at state-owned venues.
Six venues on the Gold Coast, including two temporary facilities, are set to host events like volleyball and football.
While events are planned for the Sunshine Coast, the ABC understands none will be held within the Noosa Council area.
Mr Tate said the Gold Coast had "more skin in the game" because the city was providing more council-owned venues for the Games than the Sunshine Coast or Brisbane.
While Gold Coast businesswoman Rebecca Frizelle sits on the Olympic organising committee board, Mr Tate said she would be unable to make major council funding commitments.
Gold Coast still 'supportive'
The LNP's state Member for Surfers Paradise, John-Paul Langbroek, said the Gold Coast had "been shut out" and that the appointment may be gender-based.
"The gender issue is predominating over experience and predominating over the rights of a city that should be represented because of the experience we've had," he said.
"The 2018 Commonwealth Games were compromised by the lack of understanding by Brisbane politicians and the bureaucracy about how to actually treat locals.
Mr Tate said while his relationship with Mr Schrinner was "non-existent", it would not change "our supportive attitude to the Olympic Games".
"It's 10 years to go," he said.
"You'll see a lot of chop and change on the board — but one thing that won't be changed is the commitment by the City of the Gold Coast to be part of the team and deliver our part."
