Dan Andrews no closer to revealing how much cancelling Games will cost

Dan Andrews shocked the sporting world earlier this week by cancelling the Commonwealth Games, but the cost to do so is still unknown.

Dan Andrews says he is no closer to revealing just how much it will cost to pull the pin on the Commonwealth Games as tense negotiations continue in London.

The Victorian Premier sensationally pulled out of hosting the Games at five regional hubs after the price tag of staging the events climbed from the forecasted $2bn to more than $6bn.

At a winery outside Geelong, Mr Andrews was peppered with questions from reporters about how far in advance he was made aware of the cost blowouts.

He conceded that he had been aware for “some weeks” the Games budget had exceeded original expectations but stressed the decision to cancel the event was not made on a whim.

Dan Andrews sensationally pulled the pin on the Commonwealth Games earlier this week. Picture NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

“You don’t make a decision like this in a day or a week … There is work that happens. That’s the job of the government to do that work,” Mr Andrews said.

But he said suggestions the government was in a position to cancel the event ahead of the state budget in May were “simply wrong”.

“Any suggestion that we had a … consolidated finalised position or anywhere near that is not accurate,” he said.

Opposition Leader John Pessuto earlier accused Mr Andrews of knowingly lying to voters and called for Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan to resign immediately. Ms Allen was the minister responsible for delivering the Games.

“They lied. They went to the May budget, knowing that the $2.6bn figure that they‘d had in the previous year’s budget, which was affirmed in this year’s budget, was wrong,” he told Melbourne’s 3AW.

“No ifs or buts. She’s (Ms Allan) got to resign. She should do it today.”

Mr Andrews stood by his deputy, and planned successor, when asked if he would be giving Ms Allan the boot: “(She’s) an outstanding deputy premier and she works hard every day ... she’s done just a little bit more than the leader of the opposition ever will.”

Negotiations in London on how much it will cost to cancel the contract are ongoing. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The increased cost estimate of $6bn to $7bn was calculated by the Department of Premier and Cabinet and Department of Treasury and Finance officials, the Premier confirmed.

Mr Andrews repeatedly refused to be drawn on a breakdown of the figure, citing the ongoing negotiations to rip up the contract for the pinnacle event.

“I’ll be able to report to you on all of these matters and more when that negotiation is finished, it is not finished now,” Mr Andrews said, adding that he had no idea when that would be.

Meanwhile, the federal government poured cold water over Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate’s bid for the Queensland city to take over hosting duties.

Mr Tate’s bid was contingent on federal funds being funnelled into the event given Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Sunshine State would not step in.

Frontbencher Jason Clare said it was unlikely the Gold Coast would receive any funding to host the event, as the federal government was focused on the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.