The Opposition will seek to establish a parliamentary inquiry to investigate why the Andrews Government lied to Victorians about the true nature of Commonwealth Games cost blow-outs.
As the scandal enters its fourth day, it’s been revealed that Labor knew as far back as April that the cost of running the 2026 Games was at least double the $2.6 billion quoted by the Government.
Opposition Leader John Pesutto said: “It is now clear that the Andrews Government lied to Victorians when they said in the May budget that the Games would cost $2.6 billion.
“They knew what the real costs were but covered up the figures for political purposes. As well as a full report by the Auditor-General into this scandal, we need a parliamentary inquiry to get to the bottom of this sorry saga.
“The only fact we know is true in this debacle is that everything occurred under the watch of Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for the Commonwealth Games Delivery, Jacinta Allan.
“She needs to resign for gross incompetence and deceit. If she won’t, then the Premier must sack her. No ifs or buts.”
Among the questions Labor needs to answer are:
- Why did Victoria aggressively pursue the Games when it received official advice that regional Victoria would not be ready to host the Games until 2034?
- When was the Minister first aware of potential cost blow-outs on this project and why didn’t she act to rein them in?
- Why did the Minister ignore the warnings of public servants about the cost blow-outs and the advice of Commonwealth Games Australia to shift events to Melbourne?
- What makes up the secret $7 billion the Government says it would now cost to run the Games?
- How much will it cost to break the contract with the Commonwealth Games Federation?
- How much has this whole failed exercise cost Victorian taxpayers?
- How many jobs will be lost in Victoria as a result of cancelling the Games?
Shadow Finance Minister Jess Wilson said: “If bungling major projects and squandering taxpayers’ money was a Commonwealth Games sport, Jacinta Allan would be a gold medallist.
“The Minister has bungled the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, the Geelong Fast Rail, the West Gate Tunnel, the Suburban Rail Loop and now the Commonwealth Games.
“This gross financial mismanagement has ramifications for Victorians in the form of record debt and taxes at a time when hard working families and businesses are doing it tougher than ever.
“Under Labor, Victoria is broke, life is getting harder and Victorians are being punished for the incompetence of the Andrews Government.”
