Annastacia Palaszczuk stressed the importance of her flying to Tokyo, claiming it was crucial to ensure Brisbane is awarded a bid to hold the 2032 Games.
Quoting John Coates, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Ms Palaszczuk said it would be a "disaster" for the head of Queensland not to attend.
"It is basically to go there, to make the pitch and to come back and then spend 14 days in hotel quarantine," she told reporters on Tuesday.
"I think it is very important that we have that really strong representation of Federal, State and local because even Thomas Bach, the head of the Olympic committee, has said the strongest thing going for our bid is the enormous cooperation of all three levels of Government."
Ms Palaszczuk clarified that if Queensland is in a lockdown during the scheduled trip, she would not take the trip. She said the delegation included the Federal Sports Minister, the Premier and the Lord Mayor.
There are currently no other bids that have got board approval for the IOC to consider.
It comes as tens of thousands of people have signed a petition urging the Australian Border Force to stop the premier from flying to Tokyo.
, started by an account called ‘Stranded Australians’ had over 34,000 signatures as of 3pm on Tuesday and was growing by the minute.
It argues Ms Palaszczuk “should not be allowed to steal a precious hotel quarantine space from a more deserving stranded Australian trying to return home.”
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks to the media during a press conference in Brisbane. Source: AAP
Ms Palaszczuk said last week that she would push for a cut in the number of international arrivals at the National Cabinet.
"We are at capacity. We're stretched, and we need an immediate reduction by 50 per cent," Ms Palaszczuk said ahead of the meeting.
Several people who signed the petition complained the premier’s stance was “hypocritical”.
“It seems politicians, celebrities and sportspeople are treated differently to ordinary Australians. Many people have suffered unfairly,” one person commented.
“Annastacia, you're doing a great job. But you can do a zoom meeting with the IOC, rather than actually go to Tokyo,” another person tweeted.
Others complained in the comments that the Queensland Premier had received a Pfizer jab ahead of the Olympics instead of an AstraZeneca vaccine.
The 51-year-old received the Pfizer vaccine, despite government advice that people over the age of 50 should receive AstraZeneca.
“Families can't come home. Families can't visit loved ones. Families can't get the covid jab of choice. But bloody politicians can. HYPOCRITICAL AS USUAL,” one person wrote.
The premier did not respond to The Feed’s questions about whether taxpayers will be funding the trip and how much it would cost.
Instead, her office directed The Feed to comments made by Ms Palaszczuk in Tuesday’s press conference.
Addressing the petition, Ms Palaszczuk told reporters, “people are entitled to their opinion.”
She said only one staff member per politician would be joining the delegation, making the total number of people travelling six.
“This is the biggest opportunity that Queensland has ever seen. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have the 2032 Olympics here in Queensland.
“We’re not going to get that opportunity again and I’d hate to see it fall at the final hurdle.”
