Axed Commonwealth Games cost blows out to $21m as documents reveal consultant fee figures

The true extent of the cost blowout over the axed Victorian Commonwealth Games has been revealed in new upper house inquiry documents.

The costs associated with the scrapped Victorian Commonwealth Games have increased again, with documents revealing a cost blow out on consultants.

The Victorian Labor government and former Premier Daniel Andrews received fierce criticism in July after it was announced that the 2026 event would be cancelled.

Mr Andrews said that the decision came after the cost projections associated with the 12-day event blew out from an initial $2.6 billion to more than $6 billion.

Victorian taxpayers instead have to fork out $380 million in a “break fee” settlement to the Commonwealth Games Federation over the cancellation.

Then premier Daniel Andrews said that the decision was made to avoid paying billions for the event. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

It’s now been revealed that approximately $21.6 million was paid on consulting fees associated with the Athletes Village, according to documents tendered in a submission to the Games’ upper house inquiry.

That’s despite Development Victoria only having an allocated budget of just $1.02 million for consultations, a submission to an upper house inquiry into the cancellation of the event shows.

Civil engineering designs were the most costly portion of the fees at $5.8 million followed by cultural heritage management ($1.9 million) and architectural services ($2 million).

There was also $1.2 million spent on a commercial adviser and $567,000 on town planning.

New premier Jacinta Allan is facing calls from Opposition Leader John Pesutto to reveal the figure taxpayers have had to pay for the cancelled event.

John Pesutto has demanded the full cost of the cancelled event be revealed. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Mr Pesutto said the $21m was “torched” by Labor and urged Ms Allan to “come clean” with Victorians about the true cost.

The documents reveal that $19.1 million was spent on delivering major competition venues in Geelong and Ballarat, which will still go ahead.

With the majority of the works planned for the games now not going ahead, that figure comes in well below the allocated budget of $442 million.

Originally published as Axed Commonwealth Games cost blows out to $21m as documents reveal consultant fee figures