Dan called in lawyers a month before telling Victorians Games were doomed

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has finally revealed when Daniel Andrews engaged lawyers to help the government cancel the 2026 Commonwewalth Games.

Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Premier Jacinta Allan has finally revealed that Daniel Andrews engaged lawyers to help the government cancel the 2026 Commonwewalth Games on June 14 — more than a month before the public was told about the event’s shock axing.

In a belated admission, Ms Allan’s office confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler was hired by the government in mid-June.

Mr Andrews did not inform Victorians until July 18 that the government was tearing up the contract for the games, claiming the original $2.6b cost had blown out to $7b.

Ms Allan’s office confirmed the new premier was informed that Arnold Bloch Leibler had been brought in — costing taxpayers $1.26m — on June 14.

The key date emerged amid new details of soaring bill from the cancelled event with new figures revealing $40m was spent on consultants and venues before it axed by Mr Andrews.

In a significant development on Wednesday, documents released to the parliamentary inquiry into the scandal revealed $21.5m in taxpayer funds was splurged on consultants employed on preparations.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto has called on Premier Jacinta Allan, who was the minister responsible for delivering the games, to come clean on the cost to taxpayers of the failed event.

“This is another $21m torched by the Labor Government for an event that never happened,” he said on Wednesday.

“They had a budget of $1m but it blew out to $21m because Labor simply can’t manage money. Jacinta Allan must come clean with Victorians about exactly how much money was wasted on the Commonwealth Games.”

The documents show that among the expenditure was a $372,000 bill for consultation with traditional owners on design of villages and venues.

In addition to the $21m, the government documents show another $19m was spent in preparing venues for the regional games that were axed by Mr Andrews in July.

The $40m blowout follows the release of figures on Tuesday showing that Victorian taxpayers have been stung with a $1.3m bill for lawyers who negotiated the $380m Commonwealth Games compensation deal after the Andrews government axed the event.

Documents released on Tuesday reveal law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler pocketed a seven-figure fee for just four months’ work representing the government in its dealings with Games chiefs.

The figures show the high-profile law firm was paid $1.265,982.18 for professional legal services “regarding the withdrawal” of Victoria from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The legal bill doesn’t list a start date for when the government enlisted Arnold Bloch Leibler to start working on the Games but it does reveal the firm started its crisis contract in June, about a month before the event was axed.

Figures also reveal lawyer Frances Gordon KC was paid $19,745 for 16 days’ work representing the government in negotiations after the Games were axed.

Flying former premier Daniel Andrews’ top bureaucrat to London to lead the talks with the Commonwealth Games bosses left taxpayers with another $22,000 bill, new figures show.

They reveal Jeremy Moule, the secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, left Melbourne on July 15 and was overseas for eight days, with his airfare costing $14,700 and hotel bill coming to $6000.

“(Mr Moule travelled to) Personally advise the Commonwealth Games Federation of the Victorian Government’s decision to withdraw from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games,” documents released by the department to a parliamentary committee state.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto has slammed new Premier Jacinta Allan over the expenditure as she was previously the minister responsible for delivering the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

“This is further evidence of how Labor has torched taxpayers’ money and another reason why Jacinta Allan needs to appear before the parliamentary inquiry and explain her role in the Commonwealth Games debacle,” he told The Australian.

The government has been approached for comment.

Mr Andrews triggered a political scandal on July 18 when he suddenly announced his government was axing its contract to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, claiming the original $2.6bn had blown out to $7bn.

After weeks of negotiations with London-based Games chiefs, he announced that Victoria would have to pay $380m in compensation for ripping up the contract.