Questions without notice and ministers statements
Commonwealth Games
John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:02): My question is to the Acting Premier. The Acting Premier was away on holidays immediately prior to the government’s decision to cancel the Commonwealth Games. What role did the Acting Premier play in the decision to cancel the games, given she was not present in the lead-up to this decision being made?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop) (14:03): Noting that the Leader of the Opposition has previously put on record his support for the government’s decision to not proceed with the Commonwealth Games, based on the consideration that the government made that $2.6 billion – sorry, between $6 billion and $7 billion – for a 12-day sporting event did not stack up and that the key reason why the government in the first place wanted regional Victoria to host the games was because of the enduring legacy benefits around housing, around community sport, around investment in tourism and in major events in the regions. That is exactly why a range of colleagues are getting on right now and delivering a $2 billion package. I think I neglected housing on the way through; our hardworking housing minister is out there with $1 billion of investment in regional Victoria.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question went to the Acting Premier’s role in the decision to cancel the games. A minute into the question the Acting Premier has not gone to that question, and I would ask you to bring her back to the question.
The SPEAKER: The minister was being relevant to the question that was asked.
Jacinta ALLAN: As for the day of the media conference that the Premier and I and the Minister for Regional Development in the other place attended out here in the gardens, we went through the process that led up to this decision being made – I and my ministerial colleagues were involved in that decision-making process. As we are members of cabinet, the collaborative decision-making process followed that process. I think it speaks volumes about the Leader of Opposition that he would take this road. It speaks volumes about the sort of person that the Leader of the Opposition is that he would take this road.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the Acting Premier knows not to debate the question, sledge or be nasty in question time.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the House will come to order. The Acting Premier will come back to the question.
Jacinta ALLAN: I will finish where I commenced and remind the house that the Leader of the Opposition has placed on the record his and his party’s support for the decision that the government has taken.
John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:06): Was the Acting Premier present at cabinet subcommittee meetings which were briefed on and considered the government’s stated $7 billion Commonwealth Games cost blowout?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop) (14:06): As I indicated in my answer to the substantive question, this went through the normal cabinet processes, the normal collaborative decision-making processes of cabinet, and as the Premier and I have both indicated to this house and to the media, cabinet met on the Monday, the decision was taken on the Monday, overnight Commonwealth Games officials were briefed on the government’s decisions and the media conference was held the very, very next day. Again, I note that the reason why the government agreed to host these games in the first place was because of that enduring legacy benefit to regional Victoria, and that is exactly what the government is focused on delivering right now, which is that investment in housing, in community sport, in tourism and major events and in supporting strong and proud regional communities right across the state.