Pradeep Philip, lead partner for Deloitte Australia Access Economics, faced questions at a Senate hearing into Australia’s preparedness to host the Games in nine years’ time.

Philip was responsible for writing the report which recommended for the establishment of the Brisbane 2032 Coordination Office to supervise the delivery of the Games.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk agreed to implement the recommendation, despite previously pledging to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that it would create an independent coordination authority that would be in charge of the preparations.

Brisbane had outlined plans to establish a body to manage infrastructure in bid documentation sent to the IOC before securing the hosting rights for the 2032 Games.

Philip argued at the hearing that the document "did not proscribe the powers" of the Olympic Coordination Authority "nor that it must be independent".

"One difference between the Brisbane Olympic Games and Sydney [2000] and London [2012] is that Sydney and London required a lot of infrastructure to be built," said Philip in a report by Australian newspaper the Courier Mail.

"A lot of venues, a lot of facilities had to be built.

"Structures for that, versus a different model that doesn’t require as much infrastructure to be built could lead to different governance structures."

The Australian Government has vowed to invest AUD$3.4 billion (£1.8 billion/$2.3 billion/€2.1 billion) towards the Games as part of a combined AUD$7 billion (£4 billion/$4.8 billion/€4.5 billion) funding package that was agreed with the Queensland Government in February.

It was revealed at the hearing that Deloitte had agreed a contract with Queensland’s Department of the Premier and Cabinet worth around AUD$700,000 (£360,000/$449,000/€418,000).

According to the Courier Mail, the three-part contract including a report into "governance arrangements".

Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck, Australia’s Sports Minister from December 2020 until May 2022, questioned whether the Queensland Government had "bought" a report to scrap the independent body.

"AUD$7 billion worth of infrastructure is a fair whack," said Colbeck at the hearing.

"The discipline of an organisation that goes to the delivery of that... during the bid process was extremely important.

"I find it extremely curious that the Queensland Government commissioned a report that reinforces its view that we don’t need [an independent authority].

"Was the Queensland Government just buying a report to Government it wanted?"

Philip hit back at Colbeck, insisting "our brand is built on providing objective, independent analysis".

"Some of my clients will tell you I provide advice that they don’t like," added Philip.

"AUD$7 billion is a lot of money and I’m in no way saying it’s insignificant."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously claimed that it he was "comfortable" with the creation of the Brisbane 2032 Coordination Office.

Graham Fraine, director of the regional development, manufacturing and water department in the Queensland Governmentm, is chief executive of the Coordination Office.