Venue named 27 times in Games business case was ‘never’ hosting, insists Andrews

Premier Daniel Andrews has insisted an aquatic centre in a safe Labor seat was never going to host competitions for the now-cancelled 2026 Commonwealth Games, despite it being mentioned 27 times in the just-released business case.

A week after dumping the Games in five regional hubs because the projected cost had almost tripled to up to $7 billion, Andrews disputed a report in The Age that aquatics were moved from Kardinia Park to Armstrong Creek outside Geelong.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday.Credit: Justin McManus

“No decision was ever made to have it at Kardinia Park,” Andrews said in July. “It was never at Kardinia Park.”

The 2022 business case, released on Saturday after Victoria reached a $380 million settlement with Commonwealth Games organisers, listed Kardinia Park as the aquatics and gymnastics venue 27 times.

“Kardinia Aquatic Centre will undergo a redevelopment, including pools (competition, warm up and diving), development of a compliant dive tower and springboards as well as improvements to amenity such as change rooms, entry zone, etc,” the document states.

Armstrong Creek was not referenced once. Nor was Waurn Ponds, which the government in October announced would host gymnastics, rather than Kardinia Park as stated in the business case.

Kardinia Park is in the safe Labor seat of Geelong, which was held with a 10 per cent margin before last year’s election. Armstrong Creek and Waurn Ponds are in the neighbouring electorate of South Barwon, held on a tighter 3 per cent margin.

Labor campaigned on the Games in the regions and extended its lead in both seats at the November election.

Asked on Tuesday if he had misled the public with his answers last month, Andrews said he had not and still claimed aquatics were never going to be at Kardinia Park.

Artist impression of the business case.Credit: Illustration by Matt Golding

“That’s the business case, that’s not the government’s decision,” Andrews said. “And I’m telling you, it was never going to be at Kardinia Park.”

The document, made with input from two government departments and a government agency, informed the government’s decision to bid for the Games.

High-level renders were developed for upgrades to the Kardinia aquatic centre, the financial workings state. A new gymnastics venue was also expected to be built next door.

“The capital investment of the 2026 Games (including the new gymnastics and aquatic centre at Kardinia Park), will enable venues in regional Victoria to keep pace with these changing demands to attract major events and compete with major metropolitan stadia.”

Andrews said there was no legacy benefit to hosting events at the existing aquatic centre, which already has a 50-metre swimming pool.

“What’s the benefit of that long term? When you need community pools and aquatic centres in rapidly growing local communities.”

He did not explain why the business case, which was made with government input and informed the government’s decision, would cost venues that were never supposed to host the Games.

“I’ve already indicated to you, it’s hardly the greatest piece of work ever done, that’s very, very clear because the estimates are a long way from what the cost was going to be.”

The government is continuing with $2 billion worth of legacy infrastructure to the regions, including new and upgraded community sports facilities and $1 billion in social and affordable homes.

New gymnastics, diving and aquatics facilities at Kardinia Park were expected to cost up to $45 million, including up to $18 million to continue running the facilities until 2042, according to the original business case.

In October, the government pledged $111 million to an aquatic centre in Armstrong Creek.

Andrews on Tuesday rejected that such decisions – to build new facilities instead of upgrading existing ones – had added costs to the business case and ultimately helped blow the budget almost three times over.

Waurn Ponds would host new gymnastics and weightlifting facilities, according to the October announcement. Waurn Ponds was also never mentioned in the 2022 business case.

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