Andrews government gags Commonwealth Games officials over 2026 event axing chat

The Andrews government has gagged Commonwealth Games officials from publicly discussing the axing, as Scotland has emerged as a likely host for the 2026 event.

The Andrews government has gagged Commonwealth Games officials from publicly discussing the 2026 event’s axing, as negotiations over compensation heat up.

The Saturday Herald Sun can reveal organising committee and Commonwealth Games Australia members were told on Friday to button up while talks in the UK continue, in an escalation of the saga.

The Scottish government said last night it was exploring the possibility of “a multi-city, multi-partner hosting opportunity” for the 2026 Games.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said there was “serious conversation” around whether Scotland could financially commit to holding the event but its biggest hurdle was organising the country in less than three years.

It can also be revealed that the leading lawyer who helped Daniel Andrews settle the East West Link contract torching in 2015, Leon Zwier, was dispatched to London with the premier’s departmental secretary, Jeremi Moule, to deliver the news on Monday the event would be dumped.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the Comm Games contract was very different to what was signed on to. Picture: Nicki Connolly

When contacted last night, Mr Zwier – a senior partner at Arnold Bloch Leibler who has represented alleged rape victim Brittany Higgins, former cricket captain Steven Smith, and political leaders Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten – said he could “neither confirm nor deny” whether he was involved in the legal fight over compensation.

Victorian taxpayers are facing demands for up to $250m in compensation from the Commonwealth Games Federation, after it was blindsided by the decision by the premier to dump the event it signed up for last year.

There have been calls from world champion hurdler Jana Pittman for the rest of Australia to step up and share the load for the Games while several cities in the United Kingdom are also contemplating whether they could fill the breach in 2026.

For a fourth straight day Mr Andrews refused to provide details about the blowouts he used to justify his axing of a regional Victorian event, which he said would cost up to $7bn to host.

Bill Shorten's lawyer Leon Zwier has been dispatched to London. Picture: Hollie Adams.

As early as June, the government was telling members of the Games organising committee the cost was likely to be about $3bn.

When asked whether other events would be likely to reconsider signing contracts with the state after this, Mr Andrews said hosting costs had changed so much that “we’re not talking about the contract that was signed”.

“This contract is demonstrably, clearly, obviously, very different to what was signed on to because the costs are so much greater,” he said.

“I won’t get into all the legal arguments about these things, because that serves no purpose.

“It’s in London and it should stay in London, and we should get a deal done now.”

After Mr Andrews revealed the revised budget estimates of $6-7bn, Commonwealth Games Australia chief executive called the figures a “gross exaggeration” – a suggestion backed by senior Labor figures.

Would be athletes from the Llamberris Athletics Reserve in Ballarat are disappointed that the Commonwealth Games have been cancelled. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

It’s understood that since holding a press conference and savaging the decision, Mr Phillips and other organising committee members have been urged to refrain from public commentary.

A government spokesperson declined to comment on the gag order on Friday, saying that negotiations in the UK were ongoing.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto said no one had taken responsibility for the debacle and that “even now the government is not being upfront with costs”.

“How was it that such a significant financial, and statewide commitment to a global event could have been secured without all of the proper checks and balances?” he said.

“Victorians don’t deserve the compensation and the humiliation that this government has visited upon our great state by the way it has messed this up,” he said.

Mr Zwier was an integral member of the legal team that helped settle the contract breach for the East West Link toll road, which included a termination payment of $642m.

When money sunk into the project was accounted for, the Auditor-General said $1.1bn had been spent with nothing to show.

Before the state election in 2014, Mr Andrews promised to dump the ”dud” cross-city tunnel, but said taxpayers wouldn’t pay a cent.

Originally published as Andrews government gags Commonwealth Games officials over 2026 event axing chat