Industry figure says Comm Games fiasco ‘biggest debacle’ in Australia’s events history

Axing the Commonwealth Games was the “final insult” by the Victorian government after Covid lockdowns, an inquiry has heard, as the head of the federal infrastructure department says he doesn’t think the 2026 Games will go ahead

Events industry figure Simon Thewlis has slammed the government’s handling of the Commonwealth Games, claiming that few people involved in the process actually had real-life major event experience.

It comes as the head of the federal infrastructure department revealed he does not think the 2026 Commonwealth Games will go ahead.

Mr Thewlis, who has worked in the industry for 40 years and was a key figure in the Save Victorian Events campaign during the pandemic, said the cancellation of the 2026 event is a “kick in the guts” to an industry that had struggled throughout Covid.

“Victoria’s event industry has gone through a lot since March 13 2020. This episode is really the final insult (and) the biggest debacle in the history of events in Australia,” he said.

“We suffered by the lack of support and lack of listening during Covid, and we suffer now because a great event, that should have happened, was bailed on.

“At the end of the day, a bunch of people with little to no real operational major event experience tried to organise one of the largest events our country has seen. They thought they knew better than the event industry.

“The Victorian government owes the event industry an apology and a commitment that they will finally listen to the industry that gave Victoria its reputation as an event stage in the first place.”

Jim Betts has said he doesn’t think there will be a Commonwealth Games. Picture: Toby Zerna

Meanwhile, department secretary Jim Betts was on Monday grilled about Australia’s attempts to salvage the global sporting event during a Senate estimates hearing.

Asked if he would be supportive of attending a Commonwealth Games hosted by the Gold Coast, Mr Betts said: “That is asking for an opinion, unless you mean attending in terms of tickets, in which case I don’t think there’s going to be a Commonwealth Games, so they wouldn’t be worth the paper they’re printed on”.

He later backtracked saying he didn’t understand the question, adding he would have “absolutely no insight”.

“I’m not responsible for any decisions at any level of government about whether and where the Commonwealth Games might proceed,” Mr Betts said.

“We might have had a role in terms of providing co-funding for various aspects of the Commonwealth Games had the Victorian government decided to proceed with them, but that appears not to be the case.”

The cancellation of the Commonwealth Games has been described as a ‘kick in the guts' to the Victorian events industry. Picture: David Crosling

When PM found out about cancellation

Anthony Albanese’s department only found out that Victoria was going to cancel the Commonwealth Games 20 minutes before Daniel Andrews made the shock announcement.

Officials from Prime Minister and Cabinet told a Senate estimates hearing on Monday night that they learned the event was being dumped from the federal health department.

They then proceeded to contact Mr Albanese’s office.

Asked if the department proceeded to look into the implications of the decision for the Commonwealth and other governments, a spokeswoman said: “We provided no specific advice on that issue”.

Victoria now ‘place to avoid’ for major events

Australia’s peak volleyball body has warned Victoria will be a “place to avoid” for hosting events.

Fronting a parliamentary inquiry into the Commonwealth Games’ cancellation, Volleyball Australia CEO Andrew Dee said the state’s reputation as a major events destination had taken a massive hit.

It comes just days after Visit Victoria chief Brendan McClements claimed that the government’s decision to scrap the event had actually increased international interest in the state.

Mr Dee hit back at Mr McClements’ comments, stating: “I expect Victoria for some time will be a place to avoid if you’re wanting to put on an event there.”

Mr Dee said he met regularly with the CEOs of other major sporting bodies who also shared his sentiment.

“I don’t think any of my colleagues would agree with (Mr McClements’) statement either,” he said.

As revealed by the Herald Sun in July, the Victorian government secretly pulled the plug on the 2025 beach volleyball world championships lead-up event in Torquay that left the sport scrambling to salvage its’ international reputation.

Mr Dee said the sport was left “high and dry” by the government’s decision.

Mr Dee said Volleyball Australia would “absolutely” have to reconsider dealing with the Victorian government again in future.

“We certainly would approach it differently,” he said.

“We would certainly want to undertake some assurances. We would certainly want sanctions and penalties for breach of contract.

“Never in your wildest dreams would you have thought that the Commonwealth Games would be cancelled after signing the contract.

“The reputational damage is significant. Other jurisdictions in the country will be preferred over Victoria for some time to come, both internally within Australia but also by international bodies overseas. I think that’s just a fact that will play out over time.”

Australia’s peak volleyball body says Victoria will be a ‘place to avoid’ for hosting events. Picture: Getty Images

Allan sure on funding months before axing

Premier Jacinta Allan gave an assurance to Commonwealth Games officials in April that the event’s entire budget would be available despite soaring cost pressures.

Commonwealth Games Australia boss Craig Phillips AM told a parliamentary inquiry on Monday that he proposed cost saving measures to Ms Allan, who at the time was the minister responsible for delivering the Games.

“We got the impression that she was very confident that the budget would be available,” Mr Phillips said.

The Victorian government pulled out of hosting the 2026 games in July, blaming a higher-than-forecast cost for the sudden cancellation.

The inquiry also heard that part of the $380m compensation fee charged to Victorian taxpayers could go towards paying tax in the UK.

Mr Phillips added that part of that fee would also be put towards staging the 2026 event in another city.

The Victorian government is yet to pay that fee, but Mr Phillips said that delay was brought on by the Commonwealth Games Federation.

Jacinta Allan, who was previously the Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery, with Harriet Shing, who held the Commonwealth Games Legacy portfolio. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Andrews govt wouldn’t budge on Games

The Victorian government refused to entertain the idea of moving the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Melbourne to rein in rising costs, despite event officials willing to ditch the ultra-expensive regional city focus.

Commonwealth Games Australia boss Craig Phillips AM warned the state’s ultimate decision to walk away from the 12-day sporting extravaganza will change the nature of future events.

Fronting a parliamentary inquiry on Monday, Mr Phillips said Games’ officials were happy to stage the event in Melbourne rather than the five-city regional model if it meant the event could be salvaged.

He said that officials were even advocating for the city-based John Cain Arena to be used for some sports.

“A Games’ modified are better than no Games,” he said.

But Mr Phillips said the Victorian government was firm in its unwillingness to reshape the Games’.

“I certainly wouldn’t be overstating (that Victoria’s cancellation) was probably one of the most challenging times for the movement,” he said.

“I think it will change the nature of what the Games’ will look like as a replacement.”

Mr Phillips said he was only notified of the Games’ cancellation on the day of the public announcement through an 8am phone call from Department of Jobs secretary Tim Ada.

He said there were no major warnings to him that the event was at risk.

“Hindsight is a terrific thing,” he said.

“If you look back you pick up some signals but beyond that, nothing.”

While welcoming the government’s promises of legacy benefits, Mr Phillips said that would not replace the benefits of “one billion sets of eyeballs” on the regions.

He added that the loss of the Games’ in Victoria shouldn’t be underestimated, and said the event poses a unique opportunity for local kids to be introduced to other sports.

“It might be surprising but every kid in Victoria necessarily wants to play AFL,” he said.

Mr Phillips refuted commentary that the Commonwealth Games was “outdated”.

“That’s part of the brand repair we have to do,” he added.