Legacy - Griffith University and the Commonwealth Games

Legacy - Griffith University and the Commonwealth Games 

Our university has a long and close relationship with the Commonwealth Games. For the 1982 Commonwealth Games held in Brisbane, Brisbane South (Nathan) campus was converted into the Commonwealth Games Village that would house over 2,000 athletes and officials from 45 countries. Our involvement in the 2018 Commonwealth Games held on the Gold Coast then saw us named an 'Official Partner' for the competition. Our relationship with both Games had some similarities but equally had some marked differences. Firstly, in 2018, we did not transform one of our campuses into a venue for the games as we had done with Brisbane South (Nathan) back in 1982. Secondly, we were not an Official Partner to the 1982 Commonwealth Games, although, we were quite clearly a major partner providing a great deal of both corporate and voluntary support for this event. Finally, and in what was considered one of the significant achievements of our Foundation Vice Chancellor Professor John Willett, was securing the 1982 Games Village athletes’ accommodation - now home to today’s Brisbane South (Nathan) campus student residences.

There were several other differences between our involvement in both Games. Perhaps the best way to look at our engagement with both events is to consider our 1982 involvement as clever pragmatic participation. Students were for the most part, not considered for paid and voluntary staffing positions to help run the Village and other services. A focus for then Vice Chancellor Professor John Willett was to secure desperately needed on-campus student accommodation that we did not have the money to provide. Our 2018 involvement could be viewed more as seizing a strategic opportunity to promote the Griffith brand to a global audience. There was more consideration about how our involvement in a local Commonwealth Games could benefit the Griffith community. Central to our involvement was our students and providing them with the chance to be involved with the event. More specifically, our partnering with the Gold Coast Games was intended to deliver both paid and unpaid employment opportunities for our students. While our participation in both Commonwealth Games contrasted in some ways, our unique involvement in the individual events would go on to have long-lasting benefits for our university, staff, and students.

Crowd at the Opening Ceremony for the 1982 Commonwealth Games held in Brisbane. Photo: Griffith University

Benefits of 1982 Games Village

The most enduring and beneficial legacy from our involvement in the Brisbane Games was the accommodation for the athletes and officials that became our student residence at Brisbane South (Nathan). Construction of the Games Village had begun on 9 February 1979, and the first 22 flats (of an eventual 700 resident complex) were completed on 29 February 1980 (Griffith University, 1982). It was always intended that students at the time would use the Games Village accommodation up until the Commonwealth Games, but they were required to vacate the housing during the event. As a result, 72 students moved into the available flats during O-Week (March) 1980 and became our first students to take up residence on-campus. 'The Hub' - as it is still known today - was officially opened on 19 March 1980 to serve as kitchen and dining areas for the competitors, officials and volunteers. The building was also originally intended to house a gift store, hairdresser and other commercial activities. However, due to space pressures, commercial activities had to be dispersed around the University, rather than in a central location (The Hub) as originally intended (Griffith University, 1982).

Inside one of the accommodation rooms at the 1982 Commonwealth Games Village at Nathan campus. Photo: Griffith University

Additionally, an administration building constructed for use during the Games was later converted into our fifth School building - the School of Social and Industrial Relations. We know this building today (in an altered form) as the home of our Business School (N50). The cost to our University to build The Hub, the Housing Village and the N50 building was $3 million. Had we not hosted the Games Village and in turn received sizable government funding for construction of these buildings - our estimated cost back then would have been $10 million (Griffith University, 1982).

The networks established by Griffith University resulting from our involvement in this event were also beneficial. Many important contacts were established across the three levels of government in Australia and important local and interstate business contacts were now available. Our standing as a university on the international stage was also greatly enhanced by this enterprise. With visits from Queen Elizabeth II, legendary actor Charlton Heston, Prime Ministers and Ministers from around the Commonwealth and many other international dignitaries - we were no longer the 'other' university in Brisbane. 

On an organisational level, hosting the Games Village was invaluable. The goodwill and understanding established between and across the Divisions of our University was immeasurable. Academic staff now understood the issues faced by general staff in areas such as parking, security, waste removal and maintenance. General staff - particularly those in the Site and Buildings Division - benefited greatly from some of the technical skills that staff from our Schools were able to offer in helping with administration of the site. 

Additionally, our University’s involvement in the 1982 Games required such dedicated involvement from our staff at the time that work on many forecasted major, minor and site works had either been completed or brought forward to be undertaken. In our report ‘Griffith University’s Involvement with the XII Commonwealth Games, Brisbane 1982’, it was estimated that our staff completed around $250,000 (over $800,000 in today’s money) worth of paid hours in service to the running of the Games Village and associated services. Many staff also benefited from learning new job skills and/or enhancing their existing skill set.

The efforts of our staff in running the Village before, during and after the Commonwealth Games can perhaps be best summed up by our Site and Buildings Manager of the time - Sam Ragusa, and our Commonwealth Games Project Officer, Robert Sparks.

"To those who worked hard for the Games Period, special thanks are due. For they were the many sprockets, pinions and gears without any one of which the whole machine could have ground to a halt." (Griffith University, 1982).

Official branding merchandise from the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Photo: Griffith University

Benefits of the 2018 Games as an Official Partner

Perhaps the starkest contrast for Griffith between the two Games was the numerous opportunities for our students to be involved in the 2018 Games. In 2015, we partnered with the Commonwealth Games Federation to offer seven full scholarships for students to live on the Gold Coast and study at our Gold Coast campus. The scholarships were for sport-related study and applicants needed to meet eligibility criteria in areas such as academics, leadership, and sport participation. There were also full scholarships on offer for elite athletes, with these applicants allowed to select a study area of their choice. The scholarships were at the time, worth around $70,000 (Morgan, 2015).

As the Gold Coast Games drew nearer, there were many volunteer and professional opportunities made available for our students to become involved. This included 250 internships which were available to students throughout areas such as programming planning, physiotherapy, events organisation, sports management, human resources and business. Around 240 of our students completed internships with Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC). Over 60 students gained full-time employment with the Games organisers, and more than 300 were employed in other activities and businesses related to the Gold Coast Games (Dobson, 2018).

Some of our international students (at the time) attending a 2018 Commonwealth Games Event held on the Gold Coast. Photo: Griffith University

There are many examples of how our students benefited from volunteer or paid positions upon completion of the 2018 Games. One of our students worked as an assistant at the Games Village. Following completion of her internship at the Gold Coast Games, the student was offered a full-time job in the Village Operations team. Some of our Master of Architecture students created a 3D model of Carrara Stadium (the home stadium for the 2018 Games) that played an important functional role in the planning and delivery of the Opening Ceremony. Eight journalism students were broadcast assistants at the main media centre for the Games and some of the competition venues. Over 90 of our students and graduates from the Griffith Film School worked as camera assistants, camera control unit operators, runners, loggers and broadcast assistants at the 2018 Games (Dobson, 2018).

Griffith University was also the Official Creative Partner for the Gold Coast Games. This arrangement would provide an international platform for students from our Queensland College of Art (now the Queensland College of Art and Design) and Queensland Conservatorium to showcase their skills. Conservatorium students played at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Four students played for the Australian Prime Minister and other dignitaries at Trade 2018, an event run in conjunction with the Gold Coast Games to promote Queensland and to promote trade between Commonwealth countries (Dobson, 2018). 

Our art students were involved in some of the key elements that made up the 2018 Games. The Games Village emblem was designed by one of our graphic design students (O'Grady, 2017). The unveiling of the emblem was undertaken as part of a larger event where land for the Village was handed over to the Games organisers by the Queensland Government. Some of our photography students had their works displayed at the main media centre for the Gold Coast Games. This opportunity allowed the involved students to showcase their works to media professionals from around the world, including photojournalists and photographers.

When looking back at our involvement in the 2018 Games, it would be remiss not to mention the involvement of some of our alumni across the breadth of 'behind the scenes' operations for this competition. Former Conservatorium student Katie Noonan was the musical director for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies (Crossen, 2018). Former Leisure Management student Delvene Cockatoo-Collins (of the Nunukul, Ngugi and Goenpul Peoples) designed the artwork to be emblazoned on gold, silver and bronze medals awarded to athletes (Crossen, 2017).

Our Vice Chancellor during the Gold Coast Games, Professor Ian O’Connor, offered some thoughts on our involvement in his all-staff email, ‘Reflections on 14 years as Vice Chancellor’ in 2018:

‘"The Commonwealth Games was a particularly memorable experience for me. In addition to our role as an Official Partner of the biggest event in Australia this decade, Griffith University made a major contribution to the Games through provision of the rare opportunity for students and graduates to work as interns and employees for groups including the Games' organising body, GOLDOC, volunteer opportunities, not to mention the 41 students, staff and alumni who represented Australia and several other nations as athletes." (I. O’Connor, personal communication, December 11, 2018).

References:

Crossen, L. (2017, November 7). Griffith grad goes for gold. Griffith University. https://news.griffith.edu.au/2017/11/07/griffith-grad-goes-for-gold/

Crossen, L. (2018, March 28). Griffith grad Katie Noonan hits the right note at the Games. Griffith University. https://news.griffith.edu.au/2018/03/28/griffith-grad-katie-noonan-hits-the-right-note-at-the-games/ 

Dobson, B. (2018, April 20). Griffith ends Games partnership on a high. Griffith University. https://news.griffith.edu.au/2018/04/20/griffith-ends-games-partnership-on-a-high/

Griffith University. (1982). Griffith University's Involvement with the XII Commonwealth Games, Brisbane 1982 [Report]

Morgan, L. (2015). Gold Coast 2018 scholarship scheme launched in partnership with Griffith University. Inside the Games. https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1032426/gold-coast-2018-scholarship-scheme-launched-in-partnership-with-griffith-university

O'Grady, S. (2017). Games Village emblem designed by Griffith student. Griffith University. https://news.griffith.edu.au/2017/10/04/games-village-emblem-designed-by-griffith-student/

Rogers, M. (2015). Games on! Griffith Official partner for GC2018. Griffith University. https://news.griffith.edu.au/2015/10/06/games-on-griffith-official-partner-for-gc2018/ 

All images are sourced from the Griffith Archive collection.