New Comm Games bid: Gold Coast and Perth dual-city plan backed by Rinehart

Australia’s richest person has implored the Prime Minister to support a twin-city 2026 Commonwealth Games bid by the Gold Coast and Perth, to restore Australia’s “tarnished” reputation. READ THE FULL LETTER

Australia’s richest person has implored the Prime Minister to support a twin-city 2026 Commonwealth Games bid by the Gold Coast and Perth, to restore Australia’s “tarnished” reputation after Victoria abandoned the event.

In a letter to Anthony Albanese co-signed by mayors Tom Tate (Gold Coast) and Basil Zempilas (Perth), billionaire mining magnate and sports sponsor Gina Rinehart said Australia’s inability to organise and fund a Commonwealth Games had undermined its international standing.

The new proposal comes after the Queensland government recently ruled out a Gold Coast-only Commonwealth Games, which was reported to cost upwards of $700 million.

Cr Tate told The Courier-Mail on Thursday night he truly believed the new proposal could save the Games.

Billionaire philanthropist Gina Rinehart

“I’m encouraged that Gina Rinehart is strongly backing a dual-city proposal that will not only save the games but will help recover Australia’s tarnished reputation across the Commonwealth,” he said.

“Victoria contractually committed to the 2026 Games and to me, a handshake should be as a good as a signature.

“Right now, we have a real opportunity to restore our country’s reputations and to provide a clear sporting pathway for our athletes, including our incredible para-athletes.”

The plan, as outlined in the letter, would be to host half of the sports including aquatics on the Gold Coast for the first week and then the remaining sports, including track and field, and a possible reintroduction of rowing onto the program, in Perth for the second week.

Also outlined in the letter, Mr Tate, Mrs Rinehart and Mr Zempilas say they envision a Games that includes more than just sports.

“We envision a Games to not only put Australia on display, but to include live performances, concerts from commonwealth stars, carnivals, street fairs, family friendly festivities and more, an across country popular endeavour, bringing people enthusiastically together.”

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate

Mrs Rinehart is a patron of swimming, rowing, artistic swimming and volleyball. It is understood that she brought together the two mayors who have since agreed to pursue the joint project.

“The Commonwealth Games will inject capital into the national and local economies with improved infrastructure, increased tourism and much needed business flow on. This ultimately leads to increased tax revenues, and a much-needed boost in economic growth,” the letter states.

Dual-city hosting duties is not new in the world of sport with the 2030 FIFA World Cup being split across Morocco, Portugal and Spain as a way to reduce costs and deliver competitions to a broader audience.

Mr Tate said the new proposal would be modelled off similar ideas.

“Importantly, we can do it between Perth and the Gold Coast without any new infrastructure and on a budget that is well without the original Victorian estimates,” he said.

“So my question is, why not?”

Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas

THE FULL LETTER

Dear Prime Minister,

We write to seek for your support in hosting a dual-city 2026 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast and Perth.

The Victorian Government’s decision to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games was disappointing and a huge blow to Australia’s reputation and to our athletes. Australia is meant to be viewed as a successful G20 nation, that we can’t organise and fund a Commonwealth Games undermines that reputation.

As you know, the history of the Commonwealth Games – which is made up of over 70 nations and territories – is a source of immense pride for many around the world. And an important opportunity to invite commonwealth heads to Australia.

Over the years, these Games have given rise to unforgettable sporting moments and are especially important to bring Para athletes to the global stage.

For countless hard working athletes, (and their families,) the opportunity to represent their country in Australia at a global level stands as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We believe that hosting the Games in both the Gold Coast and Perth presents a special opportunity to showcase Australia and provides an excellent background for you to invite those heads of the commonwealth you may wish to have further discussions with, and or entertain.

Both the Gold Coast and Perth, with their world-class pre-existing facilities and warm hospitality, stand ready to play a role in delivering an unforgettable experience for athletes, spectators and international guests and media. The recent world championships, and earlier Olympics, proved very popular with Australian audiences Australia wide. Enthusiastic media was constant.

Embracing a multi-city strategy has proven to be effective to reduce costs and be available to more people across the country, FIFA has recently unveiled plans for the FIFA World Cup 2030 to be jointly hosted across Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.

The Commonwealth Games will inject capital into the national and local economies with improved infrastructure, increased tourism and much needed business flow on. This ultimately leads to increased tax revenues, and a much-needed boost in economic growth.

We envision a Games to not only put Australia on display, but to include live performances, concerts from commonwealth stars, carnivals, street fairs, family friendly festivities and more, an across country popular endeavour, bringing people enthusiastically together.

The Gold Coast has extensive aquatic facilities that can host water and aquatic sports and Perth has a range of large sporting facilities, including world class rowing facilities, to bring this iconic sport back into the commonwealth games.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games also provide Australia with an opportunity to boost with real practise our preparedness for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games – the first Olympic Games Australia would have hosted in over 30 years. The games still being some 9 years away, holding the commonwealth games here should not fairly be described as a distraction from such preparation, but a real live run through for the Olympics.

Hosting the Games will foster enthusiasm, very important after the Victorian governments unpopular decision, and given that many are suffering as the economy declines and inflation rises, further increasing the cost of living.

Both mayors would be happy to serve on the Organising Committee to bring these games to life and encourage the business community to be involved. If the prime minister would like, Mrs Rinehart could also arrange a suitable participant.

In relation to the cost of the Commonwealth Games, we believe that a Games can be delivered better using existing facilities, in contrast to the expense of the Victorian Governments plans.

We note the comments of the Commonwealth Games Australia Chief Executive Officer, Craig Phillips AM in July when he said “the stated costs overrun, in our opinion, are a gross exaggeration.”

We believe that saving the Commonwealth Games via a dual city approach would be popular and in the national interest, and would not only bring huge benefits to our athletes and cities, but also lasting advantages to our nation. We believe it would be a far more popular decision than the recently announced $600 million for Papua New Guinea football, and not as expensive. Perhaps some of that expenditure could be redirected to improve Australian facilities for the commonwealth games and later Olympic Games in Queensland?

We appreciate your consideration and look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely

Gina Rinehart

Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate