Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan grilled over axing of Commonwealth Games

Jacinta Allan won’t commit to immediately releasing costings for the axing of the Commonwealth Games as Greens leader Samantha Ratnam refused to say if her party would back a probe into the fiasco.

Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan has refused to commit to the immediate release of costings underpinning the government’s decision to axe the Commonwealth Games.

Ms Allan, filling in for Premier Daniel Andrews who was away sick on Tuesday, faced a barrage of questions in parliament over the decision to scrap the event.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto seized on the opportunity to grill Ms Allan, the former minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery.

He would have been unable to ask her any games related questions given she no longer holds the portfolio, but capitalised on the opportunity when she took the Premier’s chair during question time.

Deputy Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan is grilled about the Commonwealth Games cancellation. Picture: David Caird

Ms Allan said paying an estimated $6bn for a 12 day sporting event was “just too much.”

She refused to commit to releasing government costings, or to deal when the government first became aware of the event’s cost blowouts.

But she said Victorians would be given a full update after compensation negotiations with games officials had been completed.

“We have been very clear, there are negotiations under way, we’ll let those negotiations run...there will be a full update to the Victorian community once those negotiations have concluded,” she said.

Former Commonwealth Games boss Jeroen Weimar could be hauled in front of a committee to answer questions. Picture: David Geraghty

Asked if she would resign from Cabinet over the Games debacle, Ms Allan said she was “not in the business of cutting and running.”

It comes as the government faces a potential parliamentary inquiry which would probe the cancellation.

But it relies on the support of the Greens who have refused to say whether they will back a move to establish the inquiry.

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam said her party hadn’t formalised its voting position yet.

“We consider these decisions very, very carefully,” she said.

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam is yet to confirm whether her party will vote to establish an inquiry into the Games’ fiasco. Picture: David Crosling

But Dr Ratnam said the Greens’ preference was for the government to support a number of reforms already before parliament that would strengthen scrutiny of government.

This would include ensuring that committees are chaired by non-government MPs.

“We’re urging it to get on with those kinds of reforms,” she said.

The inquiry could force former Games boss Jeroen Weimar to answer questions before a select committee of MPs.

The state opposition needs the support of eight upper house crossbenchers to establish the inquiry

“The Andrews Government’s Commonwealth Games scandal has humiliated Victoria on the international stage and will leave taxpayers with a more than $1 billion compensation bill. Victorians deserve to know how this situation occurred and who is responsible,” Mr Pesutto said.

Leader of the Opposition in the upper house Georgie Crozier said the inquiry would hold the Andrews Government to account for its costly mismanagement.

“Getting to the bottom of the Andrews government’s costly and humiliating Commonwealth Games scandal is in the interests of all Victorians,” Ms Crozier said.

Originally published as Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan grilled over axing of Commonwealth Games