Andrew Bolt: People are praising Andrews for ending a disastrous farce that he alone created

Many Victorians, myself included, support Daniel Andrews’ decision to can the Commonwealth Games. But there is one key question he still needs to answer.

Gosh, who’d have thought? Turns out Premier Daniel Andrews is a genius – the crowd’s favourite – for cancelling the Commonwealth Games.

True! I read it in the left-wing Guardian Australia: “Essential poll: sizeable support for Daniel Andrews’ decision to scrap Commonwealth Games”.

In fact, “more than 40 per cent of Australians agree with (the) controversial decision to scrap the Commonwealth Games, with his home state most supportive of the move”.

But, hang on. Aren’t voters being asked exactly the wrong question? Let’s try other questions of this kind. Was the captain of the Titanic right to order “abandon ship”?

Daniel Andrews is being praised for his decision to scrap the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Picture: AAP

Oh, yes. Brilliant move.

Was Napoleon right to order the retreat from Moscow?

Stroke of genius.

Was Andrews himself right to end his disastrous, pointless, world-record lockdown? Of course! A round of applause.

But that’s the problem isn’t it? People are praising Andrews for ending a disastrous farce that he alone created.

And we’re supposed to thank him? Thank him, when the cost of breaking contracts he should never have signed will probably cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and when so much work has been wasted?

The cost of breaking Commonwealth Games contracts will probably cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

This poll is meaningless, unless it truly does measure the mindlessness of Victorian voters, many of whom seem too quick to assume Dan is a strong leader for causing them so much pain.

It is meaningless because I, too, would have backed Andrews’ decision to can the Games. Of course, he had to. Does anyone think this Premier could run even a chook raffle without losing money?

After all, Andrews just last May still thought that hosting the 2026 Games would cost him $2.6bn and eight weeks later tells us – oops – under his clumsy hands the bill for his grandiose plan for statewide Games has blown out to maybe $7bn.

Cancel, cancel, cancel.

Does anyone think this Premier could run even a chook raffle without losing money? Picture: AAP

So it seems to me people are being asked the wrong question – the question Andrews wants asked, because it’s the only one that makes this master spinner look good in this disaster.

The real question is: Why did Andrews bid for a Games he could never afford, leaving taxpayers now with a potential compensation bill he refuses to even discuss?

How did Victorians come out of this farce with yet more debt, when they’ve already got the highest debt in the country?

No, Andrews did not save Victorians money. He cost them. Again.