The Bin Chicken Has Emerged As A Contender For The Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games Mascot

By Charisa Bossinakis

Despite the Brisbane 2032 Olympics being 10 years away, some have already begun debating which beloved Australian animal will be its mascot.

There are so many to choose from however it appears the white ibis or 'bin chicken' has emerged as a frontrunner.

Queensland Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe welcomed the idea of the bird becoming the ceremony’s official mascot.

He told ABC News: "As the Member for Sandgate, I've got a quiet soft touch for the idea that the ibis might play a role.

"And I know there's plenty of Queenslanders who think that might be appropriate as well."

But Mr Hinchliffe said that there’s still some time before they land on their decision ahead of the Olympics.

"This is something we can work on as a community to help tell our story to the globe," he said. "It will be an important decision when it is made by the organising committee."

The idea of the bin chicken being on the world stage has absolutely delighted some people, however not everyone was convinced.

Member of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council Cameron Costello believed koalas were a more suitable choice, considering they were declared endangered in February.

"We're at a really critical point in time," he said. "In 2032 and prior to that, the eyes of the world are going to be upon us.

"It's an opportunity for us to look at how we can use the momentum of the Olympics to actually get our endangered species back to the right place they should be."

Mr Costello also has a clear idea of how the koala would represent the country in Australia’s games.

"A koala that is First Nations, a scientist and female, that has a 10-year journey we can all follow," he said.

Many on Twitter also weren’t too fond of the idea of the bin chicken becoming the Olympian mascot.

One user wrote: “Oh. Not a chicken bucket. Hmmm.”

Another said: Talk of a mascot for Bris Olympic games. One suggestion is the Ibis. Otherwise known as bin chicken. How about GLADYS THE BIN CHICKEN BEE YOO TEE FULL.”

While a third user commented: “'Everyone already thinks we're a country of bogans. The mere consideration of the bin chicken being an Olympic mascot is next level s**t.”

Mascots have played a significant role in capturing the country’s spirit and culture in the international multi-sport event since the 1972 Munich Olympics games, when they introduced Waldi the dachshund, a popular animal in Bavaria.

In the previous 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, Syd the platypus, Olly the kookaburra and Millie the echidna also served as the games’ mascots.