North East MPs put Games decision on blast

NORTH East MPs have slammed the State Government’s cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with one labelling the move a “slap in the face to regional Victorians”. Premier Daniel Andrews announced last Tuesday the 2026 Games, which were scheduled to be hosted at four major regional hubs in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, and Gippsland, would be cancelled amid what he said was a projected cost blowout to at least $6b, after an initial allocation of $2.6b was announced last year. The figure, which Mr Andrews said had the potential to swell above $7b, was said to be more than twice the forecast economic benefit the Games would bring to the state. Ovens Valley MP Tim McCurdy said the decision to cancel the Games in their entirety was a result of “financial mismanagement and incompetence” which had plagued the State Government over the past decade. He said the state was fast running out of cash. “This is just another day under Labor, costs skyrocketing overnight, going from $3b to $6b in less than a month,” he said. “How is it possible for Daniel Andrews and (Minister for Commonwealth Games Deliver) Jacinta Allan to get their figures so wildly off in such a short space of time? “Metro-based projects are blowing out by over $30b and still the government pushes on, yet when it comes to spending extra money in the regions – peanuts. “A brutal budget has led to a budget bungle of colossal degrees.” While the Games will not go ahead as planned, Mr Andrews announced the regional legacy benefits, such as social housing and tourism, would still benefit from a $2b package earmarked for the regions, which will also see the permanent new and upgraded sporting infrastructure projects planned for the Games completed as planned. A $60m regional community sport development fund poised to provide aquatic centres, indoor stadiums, lighting upgrades and walking and cycling paths was also announced for regional Victorians, as was a $40m all abilities sport fund to remove barriers to sport for those living with a disability. “Locals have told us that more places to live and more places to stay across regional Victoria is what really matters – so that’s exactly what we’ll deliver,” he said. North East-based One Nation upper house MP, Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, said the $2b funding package would be better off directed towards healthcare, education, infrastructure and job creation in regional Victoria. “This decision disregards the opportunity to showcase Victoria internationally and signifies a failure in prioritising the needs of the people,” she said. “This cancellation highlights the need for responsible financial management and a transparent approach in decision-making.” Both Mr McCurdy and Ms Tyrrell committed to advocate for increased investment into regional Victoria going forward, with the former stating the current government was doing an “incredibly poor job” of sharing funding equally. “I have always stood up for regional Victoria, and always called out Labor’s lack of funding,” he said. “For a government that claims to govern for all, they are doing an incredibly poor job. “So the question remains, will the premier join us in supporting regional Victoria, or will he continue to kick us to the curb?”