Department of Communities in the dark on ‘half-baked’ Commonwealth Games bid

Labor can’t find any of the paperwork for the state’s Commonwealth Games bid – but the government says that’s for a good reason. LATEST >>

THE state government department which would have been central to co-ordinating Tasmania’s Commonwealth Games does not appear to have been formally informed of the state’s abortive bid.

Labor lodged in a Right to Information request to the Department of Communities Tasmania about its role in the bid — which fell apart within days when Victoria was given the nod.

Communities Tasmania is responsible for the promotion of sport and recreation in Tasmania, including the development of sports infrastructure.

The Opposition sought “any information, including emails, relating to a Tasmanian bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.”

But the response came back that nothing was to be found.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 04: Mark Knowles, flag bearer of Australia arrives with the Australia team during the Opening Ceremony for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Carrara Stadium on April 4, 2018 on the Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

“Communities Tas has found no information relevant to your request. Communities Tas was not involved in the decision to put forward a bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.”

The government says that’s because nothing was in writing.

Labor’s sports spokesman Josh Willie the state’s bid to host some or all of the Games was “half-baked”.

“If Premier Peter Gutwein and his government had been in any way serious about bidding for the Commonwealth Games – not just providing a deeply cynical distraction from its internal disasters – of course the Department of Communities which has carriage of sport and recreation would have been involved,” he said.

“Instead, this department was not even aware of any attempt to throw Tasmania’s hat into the ring.

“Tasmanians see this sorry incident for what it is – an attempt to fleece them on the same day when the government’s disarray was exposed with the resignation of Education Minister Sarah Courtney.

Labor member Josh Willie. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“The truth is there was no legitimate Commonwealth Games bid.

“This was a thought bubble dreamt up by the Premier and his spin doctors to distract from the disgrace of Ms Courtney travelling to Europe for a holiday in the crucial lead up to school resuming during a new Covid wave and then returning to Tasmanian only to quit.”

A government spokesman Communities Tasmania had been informed verbally of the Games bid.

“There were verbal conversations had between the Minister’s office and Communities Tasmania regarding Tasmania’s bid to host or co-host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

“Labor should spend less time mocking our ambitions to continue to deliver to top flight sport in Tasmania and more time embracing the many wonderful sporting opportunities on offer.”

Mr Gutwein spoke with the Commonwealth Games Association this morning, but said he acknowledged Tasmania would not be hosting any events.

‘Disappointed’: Vic slams door shut on Tas’ Commonwealth Games bid

TASMANIA’S week-old Commonwealth Games bid is all but dead after Victoria was confirmed as the sole Australian bid for the 2026 event.

Commonwealth Games Australia announced on Wednesday it had signed a Heads of Agreement with the Victorian Government and the Commonwealth Games Federation to enter exclusive negotiations.

There was no mention of Tasmania.

Premier Peter Gutwein said he was disappointed at the outcome.

“I was a little disappointed in the way the Commonwealth Games Australia dealt with this. “The first I heard that they were exclusively dealing with Victoria was through the media. “Now I have a meeting with Commonwealth Games Australia later this week, and I have further discussions with them then.

“I need to understand exactly what Commonwealth Games Australia’s current position is, as I said, it was disappointing to hear that they were dealing exclusively with the Victorian Government on this particular matter. I’ll engage with them.

“We’ll have a discussion, we’ll see where things go.”

Mr Gutwein last week announced the state would put its hand up to host some Games events — or the entire event.

“We are pleased to have entered into an exclusive dialogue with Victoria and Commonwealth Games Australia to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games,” Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin said.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews. Picture: Ian Currie.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the event would be largely based in regional Victoria.

“Victoria is Australia’s sporting state, and, if awarded, the 2026 Commonwealth Games would demonstrate to the world a new way to deliver the competition,” he said.

“We would hope to have the majority of events in our regional cities – to display the best of Victoria, create jobs and housing and infrastructure that will deliver for the long term.”

Commonwealth Games Australia Tasmanian division president Brendan Hanigan said the prospect of Tasmania hosting the Games was always unlikely.

“Tasmania hosting in our own right was probably going to be a long shot,” Mr Hanigan said.

“But there’s potentially some opportunity to see some spin off for the games being hosted in Victoria if that’s the likely outcome.

“That could include opportunities for training camps or lead up competitions prior to the Games.”

Mr Hanigan said the start of the discussion could pave the way for Tasmania hosting down the track and he has some hope Tasmanian involvement in 2026 is not closed.

“I believe the new model the Commonwealth Games federation wants is to look at regional dispersion of some Games,” Mr Hanigan said.

“Tasmania may be able to host some sports, with the right conversations with our Victorian counterparts.”

Tasmanian Labor’s sports spokesman Josh Willie said the bid had been nothing more than a distraction.

“This government has shown that it lacks any sort of conviction and it is deceptive,” Mr Willie said.

“To try and distract Tasmanians from losing a key Minister and their lack of depth they waved a shiny new bid for the Commonwealth Games on the same day.

“They knew that Hobart and Launceston would struggle to host the Commonwealth Games at short notice. I’d love to see it, but the fact of the matter is we do not have the infrastructure in place to run the event.

“The government is in chaos and can’t get the basics right like health, education, housing and infrastructure, let alone funding and successfully hosting the Commonwealth Games.

Follow @DavidJKillick

Originally published as Department of Communities in the dark on ‘half-baked’ Commonwealth Games bid