The decision by the Andrews Government to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games has severely damaged Victoria’s reputation as a global events leader.
Shadow Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Sam Groth, said the rest of the world would now consider Victoria an unreliable partner in major events delivery and question the ability of the Andrews Government to act in good faith on contractual agreements.
“This mess raises serious questions about what other major events in Victoria are now under threat. For example, is the Boxing Day Test, which Minister Dimopoulos has refused to guarantee, also going to leave Victoria?” he said.
“And what about the future of our key events such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Australian Open and the 2028 President’s Cup? Can Victoria be trusted to continue to deliver these events?
“With this one decision, the Andrews Government has sent a signal to the world that Victoria’s flagship events are up for grabs and anyone who has a contract to deliver a major event in Melbourne is at risk of having it pulled from under them.
“We’ve folded on the Commonwealth Games so how does any global organisation or sporting event take us seriously?”
