New evidence has surfaced that the Australian state of Victoria may not have a justifiable excuse to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games as it claimed.
The announcement sent a shockwave across the country and sparked fierce criticisms from political parties, the public and the sporting community.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews cited a blowout in estimated hosting costs from the original $2.6 billion (US$1.74 billion) to over $6 billion as the main reason for the cancellation.
The state is currently grappling with financial problems due to its COVID-19 pandemic policies and expensive infrastructure projects.
Details of Commonwealth Games Authorities’ Proposal
In 2021, Commonwealth Games authorities approached Visit Victoria, a state-owned tourism and events company, to propose a plan for a 12-day event in which Melbourne would be the main venue.In addition, existing facilities in regional centres such as Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat could be utilised to assist Melbourne in holding sporting competitions.
By doing so, Commonwealth Games authorities believed Victoria could significantly reduce the financial burden of the event.
They estimated that the proposed plan would cost the state around $1.4 billion, including an investment of $375 million to upgrade some infrastructures.
However, the Victorian government later did not adopt the proposal and decided to proceed with its $2.6 billion plan to host the Games in five rural areas, namely, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland and Shepparton.
The plan also included the construction of some new expensive infrastructures, which Commonwealth Games authorities recommended against.
Shaun Creighton, a former Olympian turned lawyer, said the Victorian government clearly had options for a cheaper 2026 Commonwealth Games.
“The fact there appears to not have been negotiations by the state government to try and come up with a suitable alternative, which could’ve been done by a variation of the contract, is one of the more extraordinary parts of this whole saga.”
Mr. Creighton’s comments were echoed by the Commonwealth Games Federation, which criticised the Victorian government for ignoring Commonwealth Games authorities’ recommendations.
Victorian Taxpayers to Bear Huge Costs
The decision has left local taxpayers to bear the brunt of their government’s decision.At the same time, the state still decided to go ahead with a $2 billion package to upgrade sporting infrastructures intended for the Games in regional areas.
This means Victorian residents might have to fork out $3-$4 billion without enjoying any benefits brought by the event.
Some lawyers said that the state would face even more enormous costs in the worst-case scenario, in which no alternative host city was found.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the Victorian government for comment but has yet to receive a reply in time for publication.