Gold Coast 2026 Commonwealth Games ambitions dealt funding blow by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

Tom Tate’s hopes of the Gold Coast resurrecting the 2026 Commonwealth Games after Victoria pulled out have been dashed by Anthony Albanese.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is refusing to fund the Gold Coast’s bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has dashed any hopes of the Gold Coast saving the 2026 Commonwealth Games after the Glitter Strip’s mayor insisted it could be done as long as the federal government chipped in.

The 2026 edition of the Commonwealth Games is in limbo after the Victorian Government sensationally pulled out at the last minute citing skyrocketing costs.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate insisted his city could pick it up and stage it for around $1bn.

But he said it would be “up to the federal government” and the ball was in “their court” to stump up about half the funds.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.

Mr Albanese, speaking on Triple M Brisbane on Thursday evening, said if Cr Tate wanted to hold the Commonwealth Games “he should fund it” and made clear the federal government’s focus was on the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“I think if Tom Tate wants to hold the Commonwealth Games he should fund it. We’ve made a substantial contribution to the Brisbane Olympics,” he said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk ruled out hosting the Commonwealth Games hours after Victoria pulled out.

“In Queensland, our economic position is very good,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I’ve had people say to me: ‘Can we run the Commonwealth Games?’.

“Well, no we can’t because we’re focused on the Olympics.

“And any extra money, we have to put into issues like social housing.”

Queensland officially launched its bid for 2018 hosting rights in March 2010 and were deemed successful in November 2011 — giving the state a run up of about 6.5 years.

Victoria in January 2022 announced it was giving serious thought to a late request from the Commonwealth Games Federation to host the 2026 Games.

A fast-tracked bid process ended with the state being handed the hosting rights in April that year, giving Victoria a four year lead up to host a decentralised version of the Commonwealth Games.

Cr Tate said the Federal Government was missing a “real opportunity” by not backing the Gold Coast’s bid to salvage the Games.

He revealed he had written to federal Sports Minister Annika Wells saying the council could provide a costed proposal within a month.

“The price tag would be a fraction of that proposed by Dan Andrews because the infrastructure is already here,” he said.

“Having hosted the Games in 2018, I know the Federal Government made a cash contribution and a significant in-kind contribution so there can be no doubt they were planning to invest in the 2026 Games.

“There is also the potential to mitigate the significant breach of contract penalties that will now be applied for Dan Andrews reneging on the contract with the Commonwealth Games Federation.

“For the sake of our international reputation and the ability to get two bites of the cherry for the 2018 investment, I simply can’t fathom why the Government is not open minded about this.”

Originally published as Gold Coast 2026 Commonwealth Games ambitions dealt funding blow by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese