Daniel Andrews’ China boast just months before cancelling 2026 Commonwealth Games

Daniel Andrews talked up Victoria’s 2026 Commonwealth Games just four months ago during a secretive China mission.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews meets Sichuan province party secretary Wang Xiaohui in March.

Premier Daniel Andrews was so confident of Victoria successfully staging the 2026 Commonwealth Games just four months ago that he talked up the event with a senior Communist Party leader during his secretive visit to China.

At talks with the party secretary of Sichuan province, Wang Xiaohui, on March 30, the Premier offered to share details of his government’s preparations with Chinese leaders who were preparing to host the World University Games.

In his official report on his visit to China, Mr Andrews revealed that he and Mr Wang discussed the 2026 Commonwealth Games during their talks, which also touched on trade, health, medical research and cultural exchange.

“Shared lessons from the Sichuan government’s planning for the World University Games in 2023 and Victoria planned hosting of the 2026 Commonwealth Games; agreement to establish a working group to deliver outcomes in these priority sectors; and a reciprocal visit to Victoria,” the Premier’s report states.

“Actions in progress include … the exchange of lessons from the Sichuan government’s planning of the World University Games (which start next week) with Victoria’s 2026 Commonwealth Games preparations.”

Confirmation that Mr Andrews was confident enough about his government’s ability to deliver the 2026 regional games just four months ago to discuss them on the world stage raises fresh questions about the event’s dramatic unravelling.

On Tuesday, Mr Andrews axed the regional games, claiming that the original $2.6bn budget had blown out to more than $6bn.

He has not, however, released documentation detailing the blowout.

As fallout from the decision continued to rock his government, Deputy Premier and Commonwealth Games Minister Jacinta Allan came under fire from concerned Labor MPs and the Opposition Leader, John Pesutto, who called on the Premier to sack Ms Allan.

“The Deputy Premier is guilty of gross incompetence and deceit,” Mr Pesutto said.

“She should no longer be a minister, let alone succeed the Premier when he inevitably steps down.

“If ministerial responsibility counts for anything, heads must roll, starting with Jacinta Allan, who continues to oversee costly blowouts on major projects across Victoria.”

In the wake of the cancellation, some Labor MPs have raised concerns in private about Ms Allan’s performance.

The Australian revealed on Thursday that Mr Andrews rushed ahead to secure the 2026 Commonwealth Games despite a government-funded study recommending that Victoria should host the 2034 event, in order to reduce the chances of budget blowouts and to have enough time to develop sporting facilities and accommodation in the five regional hubs.

Anthony Albanese has denied a claim by Mr Pesutto that the federal government was aware Victoria was going to cancel the Commonwealth Games.

“It’s nonsense, like a lot of what Mr Pesutto says – it’s complete nonsense,” the Prime Minister told ABC radio.

“This was a decision by the Victorian government, and it is just a fact when it comes to announcements and engagements with different levels of government (that) not everything occurs in a budget context.”

Mr Albanese said there hadn’t been any federal funding finalised for the Commonwealth Games because “there’s a couple of budgets between now and 2026.”

“This is a decision of the ­Victorian government that they’ve made based upon the changing costings,” he said.

“I think Daniel Andrews has been completely upfront on the basis (of why) the decision has been made.”