Tom Tate, Basil Zempilas back Gold Coast and Perth Commonwealth Games 2026 bid

Mayors of Perth and the Gold Coast have outlined how a coast-to-coast Commonwealth Games will work as momentum builds behind the radical project. This is how they plan to do it.

The Gold Coast has teamed up with Perth in a radical bid to host a Commonwealth Games that would span both the east and west coasts of Australia.

Gold Coast Tom Tate and Perth counterpart Basil Zempilas have agreed to split major sporting events if their bid – which they say is necessary to rescue the 2026 Games – gets a Federal government green light.

Their united pitch comes weeks after Victorian Premier Dan Andrews sensationally axed hosting them.

“The Aussie spirit, all the way back to the ANZACs, is we stand by one another and we are bonded through mateship,’’ Mayor Tate said. “The emu and kangaroo are on our nation’s crest for a reason. They never take a backward step so I’d encourage Dan Andrews to take a look at that

“From a national brand and reputation perspective, we have to honour our word on the 2026 games. If we don’t, we are sending a message globally that as a country, we aren’t good for our word and that’s not the message I want to see out there internationally.’’

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Glenn Campbell.

Mayor Zempilas said the Commonwealth Games could not be allowed to come to a “premature end” on Australia’s watch: “Although there are lots of reasons why you might think the Gold Coast and Perth are not geographically the best cities to co-hots the Commonwealth Games, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

“What we’re interested in is saving the Commonwealth Games and giving our two cities something to be very excited about and proud of.

“It’s unusual, there is a great distance between our two cities, but as Mayor Tate may have said the sun comes up over one city and sets over the other, and if we’ve got the inclination and the will it can be done.”

Mayor Zempilas suggested athletics events could be held at the 61,000-seater Optus Stadium while the Gold Coast could host the swimming.

Mayor Tate said the King’s Baton relay, meanwhile, could transfer between the cities via private jet, with the cost to be borne by Mr Andrews.

Both mayors urged the federal government to get behind the bid, saying money pledged to host the Games in Victoria should be reallocated to the Gold Coast and Perth.

“The cheque is sitting there on the treasurer’s desk. Just cross out the word Victoria and write Gold Coast,” Mayor Tate said. “We will then sit with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and plan a business case that shows we can do it. I can’t understand how the Feds can simply say: no – the games are now no longer on our radar because Dan Andrews threw his toys out of the cot.’’

Mayor Tate said Australians should “be concerned about the legal costs of the Vic2026 contractual breach”, which could be up to $1 billion.

Mayor Zempilas agreed, saying the money would be better spent on a radical joint bid. “The federal government had in principle committed $300m for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Australia. So if the Commonwealth Games are still hosted in Australia, there’s no reason why that federal government commitment should change and I think what Mayor Tate has said makes complete sense,” he said. “I’m certain the federal government would also see the sense in that.

“What can really determine the viability of this idea is the money that the Victorian government ends up paying in a penalty. If that money is committed towards the funding of the replacement 2026 games, then I think it’s game on.”

Perth Mayor Basil Zempilas. Picture: Colin Murty/The Australian.

Mayor Zempilas said given Women’s World Cup matches had been played in New Zealand and Perth suggested a joint bid with the Gold Coast and his city was not far fetched. Mayor Tate said it could provide a model for future Games.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has repeatedly dismissed any possibility of the Gold Coast hosting the 2026 Games. But Cr Tate suggested the city may be able to proceed without the state government.

“We put events on all the time in our city. If she says no, I’m not going to give you the police, we’ll just get security.

“We’ve got our swimming pool, that’s council owned.

“We won’t be using an Athletes’ Village. We’ll be using Royal Pines and hotels for athletes. That’s not new. That’s what they’re doing in the Paris Olympics.

“I look at the logistics and it’s very doable. As Australians, we should be coming together, all three tiers of government to say, we’re Aussies, we can do it.”

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