Victoria's Commonwealth Games: A Costly Mistake

If you needed an insight into how the state government operates, you could do worse than read the, which cost Victoria almost $600 million. It’s important to put aside any feelings you might have for the global sporting event – once described by comedian John Oliver as an “off Broadway Olympics” – and focus on the reasons why the state government signed us up to host the 12-day event ahead of the 2022 election, before walking away after polling day.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan at the announcement of the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games in July.In the report, Auditor-General Andrew Greaves found the business case for the Games was inadequate, underestimated the costs of the event and overstated the benefits. Public servants from three separate departments knew things weren’t stacking up but did not advise government to back out. When Treasury and the Department of Premier and Cabinet finally raised concerns that they were not being given enough time or resources to provide comprehensive advice, they were told the current approach reflected the wishes of Premier Jacinta Allan, who at the time was the minister responsible for the Games. In summary, the global humiliation and millions of dollars wasted on the Commonwealth Games was preventable if the public service had given frank and full advice to the government before it decided to host the Game

Source: News Formal (newsformal.com)

Victoria Commonwealth Games Auditor-General Costs Benefits Public Service Government

Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Miles rejects Victoria Park stadium plan, dusts off Commonwealth Games venue insteadThe Miles government has sensationally rejected the signature recommendation of the Quirk review into Olympic venues, instead choosing a $1.6 billion refurbishment of the old QEII Stadium at Nathan, which would save taxpayers money, but leave a lasting legacy of just 14,000 seats.
Source: brisbanetimes - 🏆 13. / 67 Read more »

Commonwealth Games debacle has cost Victoria almost $600 million, scathing new report findsThe report found the waste of taxpayer money could have been avoided were it not for substandard public sector advice given to the state government.
Source: 9NewsAUS - 🏆 10. / 72 Read more »

Canned Commonwealth Games cost Victoria more than $589 million, report findsVictoria's abandoned Commonwealth Games cost the state more than $589 million and the price estimate that tanked the event was overstated and not transparent, according to a new report.
Source: abcnews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »

Commonwealth Games 2026: Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan ‘overstated’ cost blowout by $2 billionCommonwealth Games 2026: Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan ‘overstated’ cost blowout of the event when they cancelled it, the auditor-general has found
Source: FinancialReview - 🏆 2. / 90 Read more »

Vic Govt exaggerated cost of hosting Commonwealth Games: Auditor-GeneralThe Victorian Auditor General has blasted the state government over the Commonwealth Games fiasco, finding it 'overstated' the cost of hosting the event when it pulled out last July and that the decision cost the state more than half a billion dollars.
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »

Commonwealth Grants Commission: Loser Victoria should not be a GST winnerAny federal government that’s serious about reforming Commonwealth-state relations would stop rewarding Victoria’s disastrous financial mismanagement.
Source: FinancialReview - 🏆 2. / 90 Read more »