Gold Coast 2018 has cancelled a press conference on the controversy surrounding the Ceremonies tender process ©Getty Images

A press conference on the controversy surrounding the appointment of Jack Morton Worldwide (JMW) to produce the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast has been cancelled "to allow for rescheduled debriefs to bidders in the tender process to take place", according to Australian officials. 

The conference, scheduled to be held at the Metricon Stadium tomorrow (January 6), was due to address the issue, which has forced the Queensland Government to call in probity auditors to examine the circumstances around American firm JMW being successful with their bid.

The company's London office conceived, planned, and delivered the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the last edition of the Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow in 2014.

They also produced both Ceremonies at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, the last time the event was held in Australia.

JMW’s appointment sparked fury among those who failed in their bids for the Ceremonies.

Led by Olympics creative director Ric Birch, who coordinated the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, as well as at the 1992 and 2000 Olympics in Barcelona and Sydney, a protesting group, which also includes unsuccessful bidders David Atkins and Julie Brooks, have called for a review of the process.

They also wrote a scathing letter to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to contest the appointment as they feel there are local Australian companies who would do a better job of the Ceremonies.

The press conference was due to be held at the Metricon Stadium in Gold Coast
The press conference was due to be held at the Metricon Stadium in Gold Coast ©Getty Images

Tony Cochrane, a prominent Gold Coast businessman, also criticised the decision, telling the Australian Associated Press that the Queensland Government should “go back to square one” and that there was a “smell around this whole process”.

The controversy has been a thorn in the side of Gold Coast 2018 of late and the Organising Committee were also forced to deny conflict of interest allegations after it was revealed they received technical advice from two people who used to work for JMW in the tender process.

Mik Aukland, recently appointed Gold Coast 2018 technical director and who was head of Ceremonies at Glasgow 2014, worked for JMW for nine years and his partner Celia was with them up until 2014.

The couple then went on to form their own company called Red Thread.

Gold Coast 2018 head of communications Marcus Taylor tried to quash any suspicion of wrongdoing, claiming Mik and Celia Aukland had no input to the selection panel and “had no role in recommending or appointing the Ceremonies contract”.