Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan likely to escape Commonwealth Games grilling

Premier Daniel Andrews and his deputy, Jacinta Allan, are not required to appear before the inquiry into the Commonwealth Games axing.

Daniel Andrews and his deputy Jacinta Allan are likely to dodge giving evidence at two probes into the Commonwealth Games fiasco.

On Wednesday, all upper house non-government MPs voted to support an opposition motion to establish a parliamentary inquire into the event’s cancellation.

But Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes, the leader of the government in the upper house, on Thursday confirmed the Premier would not have to appear in front of the inquiry.

“This is an upper house inquiry. The Liberal government knew that this was the rules of engagement when you have an upperhouse inquiry,” she said.

“If they wanted to hear from the lower house they could have come to us and considered another forum.”

Premier Daniel Andrews and his deputy Jacinta Allan are unlikely to front a probe into the Commonwealth Games axing. Picture: James Ross

Upper house inquiries can call the Premier and Deputy Premier, who sit in the lower house, but they can’t be compelled to give evidence.

However, former Commonwealth Games Legacy Minister Harriet Shing, who is a member of the upper house, is set to be front and centre of the inquiry.

External figures, such as former Games boss Jeroen Weimar, could be compelled to give evidence.

Ms Symes denied it would be a bad look for the Premier to ignore an invitation to appear before the inquiry, saying it was “custom and practice” to keep the two houses separate.

The Andrews government had earlier attempted to divert the inquiry by moving an amendment to cancel it entirely and instead have it investigated by the Victorian Auditor General (VAGO) for investigation, despite the opposition already referring the matter.

Opposition leader John Pesutto said Mr Andrews and Ms Allan would only prove “they’ve got much to hide” if they “thumb their noses” to the committee.

Georgie Crozier says athletes were ‘blindsided’ by the decision to axe the Games. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

In Question Time, Ms Allan refused to say whether she would appear before the committee.

It comes as a federal probe into the Games calls on six state ministers to front a senate inquiry.

Games’ boss Jeroen Weimar and chair Peggy O’Neal, as well as consultancy firms, Commonwealth Games Federation officials and World Athletics president Sebastian Coe have also been asked to give evidence.

But only Martin Pakula, a former major events minister, and other former senior officials can be summoned to appear.

Senate committee chair Matthew Canavan said Australia’s international reputation had taken a battering from Mr Andrews’ failure to deliver the games he promised.

“This was a state government decision, but it’s been a cause of national embarrassment,” he said.

Originally published as Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan likely to escape Commonwealth Games grilling