Weeks of wrangling to settle Games bill

VICTORIAN taxpayers could wait weeks to find out how much it will cost the State to pull out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Lawyers for the State Government have been negotiating with the Commonwealth Games Federation in London since last week after Premier Daniel Andrews announced the event was cancelled.

Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas confirmed the Government’s negotiation team had returned to Australia, but she said talks would go on remotely.

She could not provide a timeline or confirm how much the federation was seeking in compensation.

“It’s a complex negotiation and it’s continuing,” Ms Thomas said. “I’m sure a resolution will be forthcoming.”

A Victorian Government spokesperson said in a statement that negotiations would be continuing over the coming weeks.

The state dumped hosting the Games across five regional hubs over a forecast cost blowout of up to $4.4 billion, having initially budgeted $2.6 billion for the 12-day event.

Ms Thomas said the decision to cancel had been tough and disappointing, but she maintained it was the right choice.

Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto demanded the Government come clean on the cost of cutting the Games.

“Well, it’s day seven of the Commonwealth Games debacle and we still have no costings,” he said.

“We’ve seen this scandal only deepens today with news that the negotiating team has returned to Victoria empty-handed, which tells us all that the problem is worse than we were told.”

Mr Pesutto accused the Government of holding back the announcement, saying negotiators had been in London before the cancellation was announced.

Would-be host local government are pinning their hopes on government promises to follow through with key regional infrastructure upgrades and a $1b housing package for across the state.

Bendigo City Commonwealth Games director Andrew Cooney said the cancellation remained disappointing but upgrades for the city’s main stadium, showgrounds and bowls clubs should go ahead.

Mr Cooney said Bendigo City would work to get the most out of broader promises made after the cancellation, including a $150 million regional worker accommodation fund, $60 million for regional tourism infrastructure and another $20 million to market the regions.

“We’ll keep working to get the best deal we can, but we want to make sure that all these good ideas find a way to happen somehow,” he said.

– AAP