Andrews accused of trashing Commonwealth Games brand for own political gain

The bad blood that was spilled by the cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria continues to flow.

In the Commonwealth Games Australia annual report released this week, chief executive Craig Phillips brands the decision to abandon the Games because of cost “callous” and says that former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews trashed the Commonwealth Games brand for his own political end.

Then Victorian deputy premier Jacinta Allan and then premier Daniel Andrews announcing the decision to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games in July 2023.Credit: Joe Armao

Phillips again says Commonwealth Games Australia’s warnings to the government about rising costs of the plans for decentralised games were ignored, but reiterates a Victorian auditor-general conclusion in March that when pulling the pin on the Games, the government overstated the costs by more than $2 billion.

Phillips still hopes that the Games will be hosted in Australia. To date, no alternative home has been found.

Craig PhillipsCredit: Eamon Gallagher

In revisiting the cancellation, Phillips refers repeatedly to the Andrews-Allan government, a little-used formulation that links the now-retired Andrews with his successor as premier, Jacinta Allan, who was the minister responsible for delivering the Games.

“The decision of the Andrews-Allan government to withdraw from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games placed immense pressure on the Commonwealth Sports Movement brand,” says Phillips.

“At times, it even seemed that, for his own political expediency, then premier Daniel Andrews was attempting to trash the brand with the Australian public.

“The CGA is steadfast in its view that the Commonwealth Games and, in particular, our [Australian] team remains much loved and respected by Australians.

“Caused by the callous ‘easy’ decision taken by the Andrews-Allan government to withdraw from hosting the Games, the last half of 2023 has been a turbulent and uncertain time for the CGA – unlike any we have experienced.”

“Easy” was how Andrews described the decision at the time, saying that unforeseen costs would have been ruinous to the state if the Games had proceeded.

In the annual report, Commonwealth Games Australia again rejected the state government’s characterisation of the events that led up to the cancellation.

“The state of Victoria was not asked to step in as hosts at the last minute, as indicated by the then premier,” the report says. “In fact, representatives of Visit Victoria, acting on behalf of the government, travelled to London to ‘pitch’ their vision for hosting the games to the Commonwealth Games Federation.

“The budgetary implications announced at the time of the cancellation were also not sighted or discussed with the CGF or CGA. The subsequent Victorian auditor-general’s report, released in March 2024, has since confirmed that costs were overstated by more than $2 billion.

“CGA consistently indicated its awareness of potential cost overruns because of government decision-making, but this regularly provided advice to make changes to the event delivery model was ignored.”

In August last year, Victoria paid the Commonwealth Games Federation, Commonwealth Games Australia and the Commonwealth Games Federation Partnership $380 million as a settlement. The Commonwealth Games Federation has allocated $100 million to whoever hosts the 2026 Games, if they proceed.

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