Queensland's opposition has slammed a guidebook for Commonwealth Games volunteers which instructs them to avoid gender-specific phrases as political correctness gone mad.
The handbook entitled "Games Shapers" has been issued to 15,000 volunteers, staff and contractors for this year's Gold Coast Games and includes instructions to use the term parents instead of mother or father and partners, rather than husbands or girlfriends.
"We can avoid words like guys, girls, ladies and gentlemen, and instead use words like students, everyone, folks and all," News Corp Australia reports the handbook instructing.
It also reportedly tells volunteers to refrain from calling para-athletes "extraordinary or superhuman".
The handbook also instructs volunteers to not take selfies with athletes in their uniforms.
Queensland opposition leader Deb Frecklington said the rules were "common sense gone mad" and urged Games organisers to rethink their instructions.
"We might be a bit folksy and we might use a bit of different language but, at the end of the day, let's just be Queenslanders," Ms Frecklington said on Sunday.
"As long as people are being respectful, let Queenslanders be Queenslanders."
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) chief executive Mark Peters said the handbook guidelines were a response to concerns raised by some of the volunteers about interacting with athletes, officials and guests from different cultures and backgrounds.
He said the guidelines were not compulsory, but a suggestion on how to handle situations.
"We're saying be yourself, that's why you've been selected," Mr Peters told reporters.
"We're just trying to give them guidelines without scaring them ... can you get it wrong? Not if you've got a smile, a friendly face and you're genuinely trying to help people."
