STAFF WRITERS
REGIONAL Victoria will no longer hold the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with the state government withdrawing its hosting rights.
The shock announcement was made at a press conference by Premier Daniel Andrews, the Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery, Jacinta Allan, and the Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, Harriett Shing on Tuesday morning, July 18 in Melbourne.
Mr Andrews indicated that cost was a deciding factor in the event’s cancellation.
“What’s become clear is that the cost of hosting these games in 2026 is not the $2.6 billion which was budgeted and allocated… it is in fact at least $6 billion, and could be as high as $7 billion, and I cannot stand here and say to you that I have any confidence that that even $7 billion number would appropriately and adequately fund these games,” Mr Andrews said.
“Six to seven billion dollars is well and truly too much for a 12-day sporting event. I will not take money out of hospitals and schools in order to fund an event that is three times the cost, as estimated and budgeted for last year.”
The Commonwealth Games were originally due to take place from March 17 to March 29, 2026, with sporting events spread across five regional hubs in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Shepparton and Gippsland.
Five sports were scheduled to be hosted in Gippsland, those being Badminton, Rugby Sevens, Cricket, Road Cycling and Shooting.
While the event itself has been axed, the government confirmed that $2 billion worth of funding set aside for the Games will still be spent.
Upgrades for sporting venues originally scheduled to host events are planned, including the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium in Traralgon; Gippsland Sports and Entertainment Park in Morwell; Morwell Gun Club; and Ted Summerton Reserve in Moe.
A Regional Housing Fund worth $1 billion has been promised, aiming to deliver “more than 1300 new homes” across regional Victoria; it is not known home many of those homes will be built in Gippsland.
Additionally, a $150 million Regional Tourism and Events Fund will provide money to promote “new events, new attractions and more accommodation”.
