G21’s hopes for region ahead of 2026 Games

A PEAK lobby for the regions’ councils has developed a Commonwealth Games wish list for the area ahead of the 2026 event where Geelong will be a host city.

Topping the G21 list is housing and a suggestion that the yet to be constructed athletes village should be designed in a way that enables it to be later repurposed as affordable worker and social housing.

Games organisers are yet to confirm where in Geelong the athlete’s village will be built, although speculation is mounting that Waurn Ponds is a likely location given the room to build and proximity to transport routes.

Offering to help identify viable sites, the Geelong Region Alliance suggests that construction and infrastructure costs could be aided by uniting investment from Victoria’s multi-billion dollar Big Housing Build program, the Commonwealth’s new $10 billion social and affordable housing fund and Commonwealth Games funding.

G21 CEO Giulia Baggio also advocates that the games should provide impetus for a transport “step change in the way people move around”.

“Heavy reliance on road travel has entrenched a car-dependent culture and lack of investment in alternative transport modes,” she said.

“Fast, safe, reliable public transport” is identified as one of the biggest gaps in the region’s liveability.

Increased skills and worker training and education will be also be needed to not only host the games, but future major events that will be increasingly common when Geelong’s new Convention Centre is up and running in 2025.

Ms Baggio said the Gordon TAFE “will need significant investment in upskilling programs, and to attract/support an increased pipeline of students”.

Referencing the millions of people that watched the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham via their smart phones, the Geelong regions “extremely patchy” digital connectivity has also been highlighted.

The list’s section on sustainability calls for every new or refurbished building to have a seven-star energy efficiency rating and that connection and respect for Country “must be embedded in decision-making”.

First Nations people will play a lead role in upcoming games, but the G21 alliance cautions that institutions like the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation will require “more personnel and resources” to carry out cultural responsibilities in the region.

The location and design of a regional First Nations hub and cultural centre is also unclear, Ms Baggio noting there is “no dedicated Wadawurrung cultural centre to attract, inform and engage local and international visitors”.