‘Disaster’: Geelong business owners blast Comm Games cancellation

Business owners and community leaders have hit out at the state government’s decision to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games, but some called the move “unsurprising”. HAVE YOUR SAY

Cartel Coffee Roasters owner Nathan Johnston is among Geelong business owners disappointed with the Commonwealth Games’ cancellation. Picture: Alan Barber

Geelong business owners and community leaders have hit out at the state government’s decision to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with one trader labelling the move an “absolute disaster”.

Premier Daniel Andrews blamed rising costs for the government’s Tuesday morning decision to sever its agreement to host the Games, set to take place in cities across regional Victoria.

Cartel Coffee Roasters owner Nathan Johnston told the Geelong Advertiser he was completely shocked at the announcement.

“We’ve been gearing up for months, years,” he said.

“The Commonwealth Games would be fantastic for Geelong and regional Victoria. There’s a lot of people who are devastated.”

Mr Johnston said he knew people who had purchased property in the region, specifically in anticipation of the Games coming to Geelong, who were now left with almost nothing.

He said he didn’t understand why money could be found for the Metro Tunnel project but not the Games, which would bring thousands of people to regional cities.

“I just don’t get it,” Mr Johnston said.

Sentiments were echoed by Bombaras co-owner Tom McGrath, who urged the community to back big regional events despite the “disappointing” cancellation.

“It’s important that this doesn’t deter us from going for bigger events in the future,” he said.

“Big events like this can take a few years to get going, but things like the Cadel Evans bike ride or events at Mount Duneed estate bring spin-off business to the region.

Bombaras co-owner Tom McGrath, pictured with Yasmin Burton and Josh Friend, said it was important for other big events to go ahead. Picture: Mark Wilson

“Let’s go ahead and get something else.”

Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine executive director Tracy Carter said the move was disappointing for operators.

“They had a huge degree of excitement and anticipation, not just for the couple of weeks of the event, but also for that international brand positioning opportunity that’s been lost,” she said.

“I think the way it was laid out, and the budget, it’s understandable … our challenge now is to pick up the legacy programs and keep momentum.”

She said the organisation would work quickly to leverage the $150m earmarked for regional tourism support.

According to state figures, more than 7500 jobs were expected to be created before, during and after the major sporting event, with more than 1200 goods and services procurement opportunities also on the table for business.

The Andrews Labor Government has cancelled the 2026 Commonwealth Games, slated to be held across Victoria. (AAP Image/James Ross)

City of Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan said the government’s decision to scrap the Games in regional Victoria wouldn’t immediately free up money in Geelong council’s budget to deliver more community infrastructure this year.

“We would like to be involved a lot more in this and see how we could have partnered better to have more efficient games delivered across regional Victoria,” Mr Sullivan said.

Mr Sullivan said at a time when the state government was under a tight timeline to deliver the Games in recent months it had been a “moving target” in terms of providing information to council.

“My concerns initially were around funding; cost shifting to councils; time frames … normally it takes seven, eight years of planning to deliver a Games such as this, the government had under four, and with that comes tight timelines,” he said.

“I didn’t have certainty that they were going to be reached and that therefore the ripple effect would be damaging.”

About 50 Commonwealth Games staff were based in Geelong at the end of last year, with that number projected to grow over time.

Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan on Tuesday. Picture: Alan Barber

Other groups like G21 and the Committee for Geelong welcomed the announcement of a $1bn regional housing fund and $150 regional tourism fund in the wake of the cancellation.

Under the plan, all permanent and upgraded sporting infrastructure announced as part of the Games will still go ahead.

“We must refocus our energy on delivering the housing, transport and sporting infrastructure so desperately needed by our rapidly growing communities,” G21 chief executive officer Giulia Baggio said.

While many were shocked by the news, Geelong Chamber of Commerce chief executive Jeremy Crawford said the announcement was “unsurprising”.

“From a Geelong business perspective, this is not a surprise,” he said.

“Some businesses had lost confidence that there was no clarity or detail.”

Mr Crawford welcomed the “positive” news of further investment in local sporting facilities, calling on the government to make sure it was “an investment well spent”.

Polwarth MP Richard Riordan and Western Victorian upper house MP Bev McArthur both slammed the decision, blaming the cost blowout on poor financial planning.

“The option to host the games across four regional sites was causing enormous duplication of costs,” Ms McArthur said.

“Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and Gippsland were fearful of looming failure – knowing full well the low base from which these Games’ offerings and infrastructure were being made.”

The Commonwealth Games HQ at number 27 Brougham St was still occupied on Tuesday afternoon. Picture: Alan Barber

Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson said the decision to abandon the 2026 Commonwealth Games was “a shocking betrayal of regional Victoria”.

“This is not only another terrible broken promise, but demonstrates Labor’s contempt for regional communities across the state,” Ms Henderson said.

“This soul-destroying decision leaves our international sporting reputation in tatters, robs the regions of legacy sporting infrastructure and demonstrates the full scale of Labor’s economic mismanagement.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Corio MP, Richard Marles, said: “The Victorian government has said that there are still a number of benefits for greater Geelong – I welcome that, and I will be talking with them to make sure these are realised.”

Originally published as ‘Disaster’: Geelong business owners blast Comm Games cancellation