Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews cans Commonwealth Games over cost blowout

In a fiery press conference, Dan Andrews has refused to answer the one question on everyone’s mind after his shock decision to dump the Commonwealth Games.

A Senate committee will investigate Dan Andrews’ controversial decision to end Victoria’s hosting of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

On Tuesday, the Premier blindsided Games authorities, including Commonwealth Games Australia chief executive Craig Phillips, and the federal government by pulling the pin on the 2026 Games, which were to be hosted in regional Victoria.

He said the cost blowout of hosting the event, which he said had blown out from around $2bn to beyond $6bn, did not represent value for money for the state.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie says a Senate committee will investigate what happened with the planning for the games and the decision to cancel them.

“Obviously something has gone very awry. The Premier has been very shaky about that,” Senator McKenzie told Sky News.

“I want to understand the modelling that has brought him to that figure (of $6bn).”

The Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee had been inquiring into the preparedness to host the Games since March and had been due to report on September 1.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews shocked authorities when he announced Victoria would no longer host the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Picture: Valeriu Campan NCA NewsWire.

In a heated press conference in the regional town of Maryborough on Wednesday, Andrews announced a two billion dollar investment in regional Victoria, including 1300 houses, instead.

He told reporters Victoria had a team of lawyers negotiating with Commonwealth Games authorities in London, and said the cost to the state for cancelling the Games, and the amount of money the state had spent so far on the games, would be revealed in due course.

“No one wanted this thing to cost five, six, seven billion dollars,” Andrews said.

“I am not asking Victorian taxpayers to spend six or seven billion dollars on a twelve-day sporting event,” he said.

“I will confirm, we will confirm, for all Victorians, what those costs are, when we know what they are.”

Andrews said the state was negotiating with Commonwealth Games authorities in London this week. Picture: Valeriu Campan NCA NewsWire.

Asked whether he would apologise to athletes and businesses who had already invested in expectation of the Games, Andrews insisted the event was “all cost and no benefit.”

“I’m not going to apologise for not taking money out of schools and hospitals.”

The federal opposition came out strongly against the decision on Wednesday, with Liberal MP Dan Tehan saying regional Victoria would feel like they had been “played by a conman.”

“Victoria will now have a black mark against it,” Mr Tehan, who electorate is in regional Victoria, said.

“There’s a possibility that through the Victorian Labor government’s ineptitude that they’ve killed the Commonwealth Games.

“By behaving the way they have, by not engaging with Commonwealth Games authorities, by basically giving them a phone call at midnight and saying that the Victorian government was pulling out, they have literally put the games in jeopardy.”

Federal Liberal MP Dan Tehan said it was possible the Victorian Labor government had “killed the Commonwealth Games.” Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

On Wednesday morning, Liberal Senator for Victoria Sarah Henderson said her state was an “economic basket case.”

“No Victorian should have any faith in any promise made by either Daniel Andrews or Anthony Albanese,” Senator Henderson said.

“This state has become an economic basket case,” she said.

“(Daniel Andrews) needs to be honest with the people of Victoria over what it has cost to cancel the Games.”

It comes after a number of Andrews’ claims were contracted by the Commonwealth Games authorities.

Mr Phillips said on Tuesday the figure stated by Andrews was a “gross exaggeration,” and said the Gold Coast games cost $1.2 billion, and the Birmingham Games $1.8 billion, according to The Australian.

The same paper also reported Commonwealth Games Federation Katie Sadleir had found out Victoria had decided to cancel only eight hours before the decision was publicly announced.

Originally published as Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews cans Commonwealth Games over cost blowout