PM Morrison backs southeast Queensland Olympics bid

The president of the Australian Olympic Committee has praised Scott Morrison for being a prime minister who understands and supports sports.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach OLY (left) and Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates on 4 May 2019. Source: AAP

The push for southeast Queensland to host the 2032 Olympics has received a boost with Scott Morrison throwing his "very clear" support behind the bid.

The prime minister has told International Olympics Committee president Thomas Bach "Queenslanders will always want to outdo NSW" by putting on an even better Games than Sydney in 2000.

Mr Morrison met with an "impressed" Mr Bach in Japan on the weekend, saying the government had committed to the Games bid financially.

The Gold Coast hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Source: AAP

The push is being made by a group of southeast Queensland mayors, including Brisbane's, which believes hosting the event is feasible given much of the required infrastructure already exists from last year's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

"I was really impressed, I must say ... seeing the existing infrastructure, sports infrastructure," Mr Bach said.

The cost of hosting the Olympics and Paralympics has been estimated at $900 million, not including upgrades to transport.

President of International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach and President of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Yoshir Mori. Source: AAP

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is open to supporting the bid, but said last week it needed federal funding.

Australian Olympic Committee boss John Coates welcomed Mr Morrison's "very clear" enthusiasm.

He said a recent IOC decision to allow a region or group of cities to host the Games left "no question" Queensland could do so, while Townsville and Cairns could also hold events.