Latest news with #O'Hagan
The Citizen
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Buy-to-let demand soars in Jo'burg
Buy-to-let investors from around the world are snapping up rental apartments in Johannesburg as companies ramp up their demand for office space and large numbers of tenants make their way back to the city. That's the word from Rory O'Hagan, managing principal of Chas Everitt Sandton, Waterfall and Bedfordview, who notes that rising office demand is being accompanied by a spike in demand for rental apartments and estate homes close to workplaces in the main commercial nodes. 'This is being further fuelled by the evolution of many office buildings and precincts into mixed-use environments to make them more attractive as permanent residential options, and rental demand is soaring in areas like Sandton, Rosebank, Bryanston and Waterfall, to the extent that we often don't even have time to advertise our listings in these areas before they are taken up. 'And those we do advertise are attracting major interest. A luxury two-bedroom apartment we recently sold in Dunkeld attracted 30 enquiries in the first week, and another in Riverclub was also sold in a few days after notching up 28 enquiries. Investment buyers we have worked with recently have also been buying one and two-bedroom apartments to let out in Craighall Park, Rosebank and Waterfall.' He says that in a strong turnaround from the Covid-driven trend which saw city centres empty out as remote working freed both employees and executives to head en masse for coastal and country locations, these tenants and buyers are now returning to urban areas in droves – along with many others who are coming to Gauteng especially, in search of new jobs and business opportunities. 'And this new dynamic has not been lost on investors, both local and foreign, who are literally queuing up to buy apartments, townhouses and clusters suitable for letting in the most sought-after areas. We are getting competing offers on units in the most popular areas and we are also seeing new apartment developments experience rapid sellouts, mostly to investors from Europe and other countries in Africa as well as South Africa.' The main reasons for the current increases in office demand, O'Hagan says, include the increasing number of large employers (especially in Johannesburg) requiring a full return to the office. Uptake in Cape Town has also been boosted lately, he notes, by the growth of the labour-intensive Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry in SA. 'These factors are noted in the latest office market reports from global commercial real estate company Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), which reveal that more than 400 000sqm of office space was absorbed during the first quarter of this year, mostly in Johannesburg (230 000sqm) and Cape Town (140 000sqm), and that while the national vacancy rate hovers at around 14%, the vacancy rate for prime (P-grade) office space is now only 6%. (See and ) 'At the same time, a rising number of multinational companies have recently made strategic investments in SA, and others are responding now to the government's new frameworks for public-private partnerships, especially in infrastructure development. 'Owing to its increased international exposure because of the African Continent Free Trade Agreement and the forthcoming G20 Summit, Johannesburg is the current focus of these companies, and this will no doubt create further rental demand for both offices and residences for staff and executives assigned to work on SA projects.' Meanwhile, says O'Hagan, the most recent StatsSA Household Survey shows that the overall percentage of SA's 19m households that rent rather than buy has increased from 17,7% in 2020 to 23,9%, while the Global Property Guide notes that the gross residential yield in SA has risen from 9,96% in the last quarter of 2024 to 10,36% currently. (See ). 'These are very positive numbers for buy-to-let investors, especially when one considers that average rental yields in the UK and US, for example, range between 6% and 7%, those in Australia around 5% and those in most of Europe from 4% to 5%. 'SA has also experienced a decline in both the planning and completion of new homes over the past two years that is expected to give rise to a supply shortage and rising rentals going forward.' (See Issued by Chas Everitt International
ITV News
04-07-2025
- Health
- ITV News
GPs in Northern Ireland vote to withdraw non-funded services in 'unprecedented' action
GPs practices have voted for taking the "unprecedented" step of withdrawing some non-funded services in Northern Ireland. The BMA said 98.7% were in favour of taking collective action "as part of their fight for increased funding for general practice". As some of the action, GPs would limit daily patient consultations, serve notice on any voluntary activity, and cease completion of unfunded paperwork. The BMA said these services "do not form part of the current, imposed GMS contract for 2025/2026 but take up a significant amount of time away from patient care". Dr Frances O'Hagan, chair of BMA's Northern Ireland general practitioners committee, said the result sent a 'clear and unequivocal message' to the health minister. 'This is the first time the GMS contract has been imposed on the GP workforce in Northern Ireland," Dr O'Hagan said. "Therefore, it should come as no surprise that GP partners have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking the unprecedented step of collective action to force improvements to the 2025/2026 contract offer and save general practice from all-out collapse. 'We have been warning for well over a decade now that general practice was not being funded to meet the needs of growing patient lists and that failure to act on this would have consequences on patient care." The BMA said the action would including limiting daily patient consultations. 'If demand for urgent care exceeds safe levels, you may wish to consider directing patients to appropriate alternative settings such as urgent care centres, Phone First, GP out-of-hours, Accident and Emergency, and the Northern Ireland Ambulance service." It said it would also serve notice on any voluntary activity. "The focus of this action is to cease any activity that is voluntary, unfunded and non-contractual. Examples of such activity includes non-emergency ambulance ordering (for example for first outpatient attendance) and the ordering of pre-procedural medications or medications used for hospital tests. "Action could also include serving notice on provision of complex wound and ulcer dressings, where this best undertaken by specialists." The BMA said GPs would cease completion of unfunded paperwork. "Examples of action that may be taken includes ceasing to complete paperwork associated with patient registration including dealing with patient eligibility for NHS Services. Action could also include ceasing to complete letters to support for issues such as patient applications for social housing; educational provision in schools; applications to the Home Office; reports for benefits applications." Dr O'Hagan called on the health minister resume contract negotiations, saying: 'Not one GP who voted in favour of collective action wants to have to go down this road, but they feel they have been left with no choice. 'The minister needs to demonstrate that he values general practice and that he has our backs by coming back to the negotiating table with an improved 2025/2026 contract offer.' UTV has contacted the Department of Health for a response. Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.
RTÉ News
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Siobhan O'Hagan details impact of Tattle Life trolling
Social media influencer Siobhan O'Hagan has spoken out about the "harmful" and invasive acts of "sabotage" she says she endured over several years at the hands of users on the gossip website Tattle Life. Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time on Tuesday night, the Irish fitness influencer, who has 161,000 followers on Instagram, described the relentless scrutiny she's faced and the profound impact it has had on both her personal and professional life. "I think for the last seven or eight years I've had every single thing I've done twisted and criticised and analysed," she told presenter Miriam O'Callaghan. "I'm a very open person, I'm a very opinionated person. I always say, 'If you don't like what I post, don't follow me.' "But, I found that I will even think now, 'What are they gonna do with it? How are they gonna twist this into a negative narrative?'" O'Hagan said users on the site have fabricated stories and deliberately tried to undermine her work and reputation. "We all make mistakes. I've made mistakes in the past. I don't know if they're talking about that… but I know they've made up a lot of lies," she said. "They've done whatever they can to try to sabotage me. I don't really know what they want me to do. But, in terms of influencing, I work with a lot of businesses, and I know they contact them and send them lies." She also recalled attempts to hack her website and disrupt her online coaching business, describing how trolls have signed her email up to spam lists or flooded her inbox with junk. "Just little things… they have too much time on their hands. Luckily, I'm in a very good place, so I've been able to rise above it. I know I have friends who have been harmed much more by it, and they're looking at it. "It is tempting to see what they say because you want to correct it, or you want to say the truth. But, I've learnt from other people trying to correct it that they don't want the truth. They just want gossip." Her appearance on Prime Time came just days after the formerly anonymous owner of Tattle Life was named as Sebastian Bond in a Belfast court. In a landmark ruling, Neil and Donna Sands were awarded £300,000 in damages after taking legal action over defamatory comments posted about them on the site. O'Hagan said: "I'm not sure how much will actually change, but I definitely feel like…[I have] a bit more confidence in myself this week. I've never even mentioned Tattle before this week, and now here I am talking about it." She's not alone in doing so. Television presenter and radio personality Brian Dowling Gourounlian also welcomed the news, describing it as a long-awaited moment of vindication. "Also on Friday, my birthday, I got messages saying that the person that runs the website Tattle has been exposed," he said. "I am absolutely delighted. This is something, a battle, Arthur and I have been having with this website for a long time now. "They have tried to destroy our reputation, ruin our lives, in fact, with the vileness they have been saying. "We have all the messages, we've spoken to the guards, we have screenshots, we have usernames, we have everything." The Six O'Clock Show host added: "My hope is, now this man has been exposed for who he is, that as part of his deal, he will now release the email addresses of all those people online with all their names. "And I get to find out who they are. I can't wait." Journalist and podcaster Rosemary MacCabe also reflected on her experience, writing on Substack about "how it feels to be torn apart online by people who, for whatever reason, really f****** hate me," while admitting the site "almost destroyed me". UK influencer Mrs Hinch, real name Sophie Hinchcliffe, said she feels "ready" for the anonymous users of the site to be unmasked. Hinch, who has over 5 million Instagram followers, has also been a long-time target of online abuse via Tattle. Tagging Donna and Neil Sands on Instagram while watching a report about the Belfast court case, she wrote. "Well, hello there Sebastian. I've silently waited over 7 years for this! Your identity finally revealed." "Next up… reveal the rest of the anonymous sickening toxic tattlers. I'm so ready."
Business Wire
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
BMW Motorrad Dealers Top-Ranked in 2025 Powersports Study for Providing Quick and Easy Service Appointments
MONTEREY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BMW Motorrad dealerships ranked highest in the 2025 Pied Piper PSI ® Service Telephone Effectiveness ® (STE ®) Powersports Industry Study, which measured the efficiency and quality of customer attempts to schedule service appointments by telephone. Following BMW were Kubota, Triumph, Polaris Off-Road and Harley-Davidson. 'Well-run service departments focus on building customer loyalty, and the first opportunity to drive that loyalty is a customer's phone call to schedule an appointment.' Share Pied Piper submitted service calls to 1,531 powersports dealerships representing 27 brands, then evaluated the telephone interactions. Each brand's overall STE Score is a combined average of its individual dealer performances. Scores range from 0 to 100 and include over 30 differently weighted measurements tracking the best practices most likely to generate service revenue and customer loyalty. BMW Ranked Highest: Consistency in Challenging Conditions 'BMW has consistently been ranked among the top three performing brands during the three years this annual study has been conducted,' said Cameron O'Hagan, Pied Piper's Vice President of Metrics and Analytics. ' This year they have achieved the top position due to that consistency.' BMW led the 2025 STE study with an average STE score of 50 – the same score BMW achieved in both 2023 and 2024. The following are examples of behaviors which set BMW dealers apart from the industry average when customers call for service: Higher Rate of Setting Appointments – 65% of BMW service calls resulted in an appointment being set, compared to only 52% for the industry overall. More Likely to Ask About Other Issues – BMW customers were asked if they had any other issues or needed any additional service 35% of the time on average, compared to only 22% of the time for the industry overall. More Likely to Ask if Visited Before – On average, BMW dealers asked service customers whether they had visited the dealership before 44% of the time, compared to 28% of the time for the industry overall. Reach Service Advisor Quickly – BMW customers on average reached a service advisor within one minute 84% of the time, compared to 78% of the time for the industry overall. Why Should We Care About a Customer's Service Telephone Experience? ' Well-run service departments focus on building customer loyalty, and the first opportunity to drive that loyalty is a customer's phone call to schedule an appointment,' said O'Hagan. ' Powersports customers who struggle to schedule service vote with their feet by moving to another dealership or independent shop. In extreme cases, due to most powersports purchases being discretionary, if ownership becomes frustrating, many customers will begin to question whether it's worth the effort and may sell the vehicle and become sour with the brand. ' The industry's average STE score improved one point over the past year, reaching an average score of 44, one point higher than 2024 but trailing the 2023 high watermark average score by two points. Performance varied substantially from dealership to dealership, with a minority of dealerships clearly benefiting from their superior processes. 16% of dealerships nationally achieved STE scores over 70, by providing an interaction with their service customers that was speedy, efficient and proactively helpful. In contrast, customers for 11% of the dealerships hung up their phone having completely failed in their attempt to schedule service. The business implications between those two extremes are substantial. Powersport Industry Performance Lacking in Key Areas Customer expectations for scheduling service aren't set by the powersports industry. Nearly all powersports customers also schedule service for their cars and trucks, and over the past few years the auto industry has significantly improved the service scheduling experience for their customers. Fail to Live up to Expectations – Today, half of all auto service appointments for basic needs like oil changes are quickly booked online, and with the help of AI-powered chat, 87% of auto customers who phone to schedule service end their call with an appointment—compared to only 52% of the powersports customers. Too Many 'Just Drop it Off' Demands – 41% of the time powersports customers were told to 'just drop it off' and wait an undetermined amount of time, rather than the dealership committing to a specific date and time. In comparison, this unfavorable behavior occurs only 2% of the time in the auto industry. Rarely Ask About Additional Services – Across the industry, only 22% of customers were asked if they had other issues or needed additional services—significantly lower than the 40% rate seen in the auto industry. Industry's Greatest Opportunities for Improvement ' The cliché is true: sales sells the first; service sells the rest,' said O'Hagan. ' Dealerships that prioritize a superior service experience gain in both sales and service.' Turn 'Just Drop it Off' Into a Positive – 41% of powersports customers are told to 'just drop it off,' where the vehicle will wait—often outside in the elements—for an undetermined number of days, before the dealership will get to it. This demonstrates little concern for a customer's time or expectations. However, this 'drop it off' mentality can be transformed from a frustration into a positive experience by also offering an appointment. For example: ' I can schedule you two weeks from today, or if you prefer, you're welcome to bring it in and we'll try to get to it sooner. ' Framing it this way respects the customer's time and shows that the dealership is organized and responsive—turning a traditionally negative interaction into a loyalty-building moment. Understand What Customers Are Really Experiencing – In the 2025 study there were 14 brands which improved their STE score over the previous year. The brand with the greatest improvement was Kubota, with a six-point gain since last year, moving from a tenth-place ranking in 2024 to second in this year's study. Kubota dealers nearly doubled their rate of setting appointments, occurring 58% of the time in 2025 compared to 31% of the time last year. Kubota dealers also drastically cut the rate of insisting 'just drop it off' from 62% of the time in 2024 to 38% of the time this year. The key to this improvement was showing dealers what their customers actually experienced when calling for service. 2025 Brand Performance Compared Performance varied substantially by brand, as shown by these examples: Why Was This Study Conducted? 'The first service interaction that drives loyalty and service revenue is a customer's initial phone call to schedule an appointment,' said O'Hagan. "Because these phone calls often go unnoticed in daily operations, they're frequently neglected — and without clear visibility, improvement becomes difficult." For more than 15 years, Pied Piper has independently published annual industry studies that rank the omnichannel performance of brands and dealer groups. These studies track how industry performance changes over time and let clients understand how their own performance compares. Pied Piper clients order ongoing Prospect Satisfaction Index ® (PSI ®) measurement and reporting – internet, telephone or in-person – for their dealerships, as tools to improve and maintain omnichannel sales and service effectiveness. Pied Piper clients have found that the key to driving dealership improvement is showing what sales and service customers are really experiencing – which is often a surprise. About Pied Piper Management Company, LLC Monterey, California - based Pied Piper helps brands and national retailer groups improve the omnichannel sales & service performance of their retailers. Pied Piper's PSI process applies data science analytics to determine the omnichannel sales and service best practices most likely to drive unit sales and loyalty. PSI then uses a combination of artificial intelligence, machine learning and human actors to measure and report how effectively retail locations follow those best practices. Other recent Pied Piper PSI industry studies include: Learn more, request a presentation of industry study results, or request PSI measurement and reporting at ------------------------- This press release is provided for editorial use only, and information contained in this release may not be used for advertising or otherwise promoting brands mentioned in this release without specific, written permission from Pied Piper Management Co., LLC.
The Advertiser
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
'Dumbfounded': IOC meeting sought over 2032 venue
Pressure is mounting on Olympic heavyweights to justify the construction of Brisbane 2032's main stadium on a significant Indigenous site during a landmark visit. An urgent meeting with the International Olympic Committee has been sought by an advocacy group after claims the 2032 centrepiece venue defies the Games' new principles. The IOC hierarchy has gathered in Brisbane to receive a 2032 Games progress report at a three-day meeting concluding on Thursday, touring sites around southeast Queensland. It marks the first time IOC delegates have visited Australia since Brisbane was unveiled as host almost four years ago. Advocacy group Save Victoria Park hope to make the most of the rare visit, writing to the IOC seeking a meeting as they look to take them to task over the main stadium's location. Victoria Park is expected to become the Brisbane Games hub, with a 63,000-seat main stadium and a nearby national aquatic centre set to be built. The advocacy group is raising money for a legal challenge exploring the impact on the heritage status and environment at the park, which is celebrating its 150th year. The group has argued Olympic venue construction would destroy valuable green space at a site of significance to First Nations communities. "How have we ended up in a position where we are going to destroy a large section of our last remaining inner-city green space?" group spokesperson Rose O'Hagan told AAP. "It dumbfounds us that in 2025 the IOC would think this is acceptable. "It is something you would expect in the '70s or '80s." Brisbane's 2032 venue blueprint was finally unveiled in March after a 100-day review guided by the Olympics' "new norm" principles aimed at avoiding massive cost blowouts that have plagued past Games. Host cities are now encouraged to cut spending by reducing new infrastructure and using existing or temporary venues. Ms O'Hagan claimed the Victoria Park stadium construction was not in keeping with the Olympic brief and threatened to destroy Brisbane's "green lungs". "We are not anti-Olympics but we don't understand how this lines up with anything in our host contract and original bid," she said. "We are supposed to be maximising existing infrastructure." The clock is ticking for the Games after the state government finally confirmed its venue blueprint more than 1300 days after Brisbane was named host. The Queensland government moved to help ensure infrastructure is built on time by passing a bill that will guarantee 2032 Olympic sites will be exempt from planning laws. They include the Environmental Protection, Queensland Heritage and Nature Conservation Acts, sparking more outrage from the advocacy group. Ms O'Hagan claimed Brisbane had the least amount of inner-city green space in any Australian capital and the group was preparing a legal challenge to protect it. "We have't preserved our green space as other cities have," she said. "On the back of an Olympic Games they are promoting as being sustainable we are going to lose a huge amount of what is remaining." Victoria Park originally featured 130 hectares, she said. "Now it has 64. After this who knows how much we are going to have - it is going to decimate it. "We are looking at everything we can do to protect this park." Meanwhile, IOC heavyweights including outgoing president Thomas Bach visited the Gold Coast on Wednesday as part of their landmark trip. IOC president-elect Kirsty Coventry also joined 2032 organisers and the co-ordination commission on the glitter strip where local mayor Tom Tate declared the Gold Coast was "Games ready". Pressure is mounting on Olympic heavyweights to justify the construction of Brisbane 2032's main stadium on a significant Indigenous site during a landmark visit. An urgent meeting with the International Olympic Committee has been sought by an advocacy group after claims the 2032 centrepiece venue defies the Games' new principles. The IOC hierarchy has gathered in Brisbane to receive a 2032 Games progress report at a three-day meeting concluding on Thursday, touring sites around southeast Queensland. It marks the first time IOC delegates have visited Australia since Brisbane was unveiled as host almost four years ago. Advocacy group Save Victoria Park hope to make the most of the rare visit, writing to the IOC seeking a meeting as they look to take them to task over the main stadium's location. Victoria Park is expected to become the Brisbane Games hub, with a 63,000-seat main stadium and a nearby national aquatic centre set to be built. The advocacy group is raising money for a legal challenge exploring the impact on the heritage status and environment at the park, which is celebrating its 150th year. The group has argued Olympic venue construction would destroy valuable green space at a site of significance to First Nations communities. "How have we ended up in a position where we are going to destroy a large section of our last remaining inner-city green space?" group spokesperson Rose O'Hagan told AAP. "It dumbfounds us that in 2025 the IOC would think this is acceptable. "It is something you would expect in the '70s or '80s." Brisbane's 2032 venue blueprint was finally unveiled in March after a 100-day review guided by the Olympics' "new norm" principles aimed at avoiding massive cost blowouts that have plagued past Games. Host cities are now encouraged to cut spending by reducing new infrastructure and using existing or temporary venues. Ms O'Hagan claimed the Victoria Park stadium construction was not in keeping with the Olympic brief and threatened to destroy Brisbane's "green lungs". "We are not anti-Olympics but we don't understand how this lines up with anything in our host contract and original bid," she said. "We are supposed to be maximising existing infrastructure." The clock is ticking for the Games after the state government finally confirmed its venue blueprint more than 1300 days after Brisbane was named host. The Queensland government moved to help ensure infrastructure is built on time by passing a bill that will guarantee 2032 Olympic sites will be exempt from planning laws. They include the Environmental Protection, Queensland Heritage and Nature Conservation Acts, sparking more outrage from the advocacy group. Ms O'Hagan claimed Brisbane had the least amount of inner-city green space in any Australian capital and the group was preparing a legal challenge to protect it. "We have't preserved our green space as other cities have," she said. "On the back of an Olympic Games they are promoting as being sustainable we are going to lose a huge amount of what is remaining." Victoria Park originally featured 130 hectares, she said. "Now it has 64. After this who knows how much we are going to have - it is going to decimate it. "We are looking at everything we can do to protect this park." Meanwhile, IOC heavyweights including outgoing president Thomas Bach visited the Gold Coast on Wednesday as part of their landmark trip. IOC president-elect Kirsty Coventry also joined 2032 organisers and the co-ordination commission on the glitter strip where local mayor Tom Tate declared the Gold Coast was "Games ready". Pressure is mounting on Olympic heavyweights to justify the construction of Brisbane 2032's main stadium on a significant Indigenous site during a landmark visit. An urgent meeting with the International Olympic Committee has been sought by an advocacy group after claims the 2032 centrepiece venue defies the Games' new principles. The IOC hierarchy has gathered in Brisbane to receive a 2032 Games progress report at a three-day meeting concluding on Thursday, touring sites around southeast Queensland. It marks the first time IOC delegates have visited Australia since Brisbane was unveiled as host almost four years ago. Advocacy group Save Victoria Park hope to make the most of the rare visit, writing to the IOC seeking a meeting as they look to take them to task over the main stadium's location. Victoria Park is expected to become the Brisbane Games hub, with a 63,000-seat main stadium and a nearby national aquatic centre set to be built. The advocacy group is raising money for a legal challenge exploring the impact on the heritage status and environment at the park, which is celebrating its 150th year. The group has argued Olympic venue construction would destroy valuable green space at a site of significance to First Nations communities. "How have we ended up in a position where we are going to destroy a large section of our last remaining inner-city green space?" group spokesperson Rose O'Hagan told AAP. "It dumbfounds us that in 2025 the IOC would think this is acceptable. "It is something you would expect in the '70s or '80s." Brisbane's 2032 venue blueprint was finally unveiled in March after a 100-day review guided by the Olympics' "new norm" principles aimed at avoiding massive cost blowouts that have plagued past Games. Host cities are now encouraged to cut spending by reducing new infrastructure and using existing or temporary venues. Ms O'Hagan claimed the Victoria Park stadium construction was not in keeping with the Olympic brief and threatened to destroy Brisbane's "green lungs". "We are not anti-Olympics but we don't understand how this lines up with anything in our host contract and original bid," she said. "We are supposed to be maximising existing infrastructure." The clock is ticking for the Games after the state government finally confirmed its venue blueprint more than 1300 days after Brisbane was named host. The Queensland government moved to help ensure infrastructure is built on time by passing a bill that will guarantee 2032 Olympic sites will be exempt from planning laws. They include the Environmental Protection, Queensland Heritage and Nature Conservation Acts, sparking more outrage from the advocacy group. Ms O'Hagan claimed Brisbane had the least amount of inner-city green space in any Australian capital and the group was preparing a legal challenge to protect it. "We have't preserved our green space as other cities have," she said. "On the back of an Olympic Games they are promoting as being sustainable we are going to lose a huge amount of what is remaining." Victoria Park originally featured 130 hectares, she said. "Now it has 64. After this who knows how much we are going to have - it is going to decimate it. "We are looking at everything we can do to protect this park." Meanwhile, IOC heavyweights including outgoing president Thomas Bach visited the Gold Coast on Wednesday as part of their landmark trip. IOC president-elect Kirsty Coventry also joined 2032 organisers and the co-ordination commission on the glitter strip where local mayor Tom Tate declared the Gold Coast was "Games ready". Pressure is mounting on Olympic heavyweights to justify the construction of Brisbane 2032's main stadium on a significant Indigenous site during a landmark visit. An urgent meeting with the International Olympic Committee has been sought by an advocacy group after claims the 2032 centrepiece venue defies the Games' new principles. The IOC hierarchy has gathered in Brisbane to receive a 2032 Games progress report at a three-day meeting concluding on Thursday, touring sites around southeast Queensland. It marks the first time IOC delegates have visited Australia since Brisbane was unveiled as host almost four years ago. Advocacy group Save Victoria Park hope to make the most of the rare visit, writing to the IOC seeking a meeting as they look to take them to task over the main stadium's location. Victoria Park is expected to become the Brisbane Games hub, with a 63,000-seat main stadium and a nearby national aquatic centre set to be built. The advocacy group is raising money for a legal challenge exploring the impact on the heritage status and environment at the park, which is celebrating its 150th year. The group has argued Olympic venue construction would destroy valuable green space at a site of significance to First Nations communities. "How have we ended up in a position where we are going to destroy a large section of our last remaining inner-city green space?" group spokesperson Rose O'Hagan told AAP. "It dumbfounds us that in 2025 the IOC would think this is acceptable. "It is something you would expect in the '70s or '80s." Brisbane's 2032 venue blueprint was finally unveiled in March after a 100-day review guided by the Olympics' "new norm" principles aimed at avoiding massive cost blowouts that have plagued past Games. Host cities are now encouraged to cut spending by reducing new infrastructure and using existing or temporary venues. Ms O'Hagan claimed the Victoria Park stadium construction was not in keeping with the Olympic brief and threatened to destroy Brisbane's "green lungs". "We are not anti-Olympics but we don't understand how this lines up with anything in our host contract and original bid," she said. "We are supposed to be maximising existing infrastructure." The clock is ticking for the Games after the state government finally confirmed its venue blueprint more than 1300 days after Brisbane was named host. The Queensland government moved to help ensure infrastructure is built on time by passing a bill that will guarantee 2032 Olympic sites will be exempt from planning laws. They include the Environmental Protection, Queensland Heritage and Nature Conservation Acts, sparking more outrage from the advocacy group. Ms O'Hagan claimed Brisbane had the least amount of inner-city green space in any Australian capital and the group was preparing a legal challenge to protect it. "We have't preserved our green space as other cities have," she said. "On the back of an Olympic Games they are promoting as being sustainable we are going to lose a huge amount of what is remaining." Victoria Park originally featured 130 hectares, she said. "Now it has 64. After this who knows how much we are going to have - it is going to decimate it. "We are looking at everything we can do to protect this park." Meanwhile, IOC heavyweights including outgoing president Thomas Bach visited the Gold Coast on Wednesday as part of their landmark trip. IOC president-elect Kirsty Coventry also joined 2032 organisers and the co-ordination commission on the glitter strip where local mayor Tom Tate declared the Gold Coast was "Games ready".
