Wednesday, 4 October 2023

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:28): My question is to the Premier. Just days before the Premier announced the Commonwealth Games would be scrapped, the government was continuing to progress contract negotiations for the building of athletes villages. The government engaged lawyers to withdraw from the games in June. Why did the government deceive regional businesses that had invested to deliver the Commonwealth Games villages, when the government was already taking steps to scrap the Commonwealth Games?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Sunbury can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Sunbury withdrew from chamber.

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:28): I will say again that the final decision was taken on 17 July and was announced publicly on 18 July. In the period leading up to that the government was receiving advice and options, and as the costs were becoming actuals and the more than $6 billion to have a 12-day sporting event simply did not stack up, the government made its final decision on 17 July and it was announced on 18 July. Can I say no –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! the member for South-West Coast can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for South-West Coast withdrew from chamber.

Peter Walsh: On a point of order, Speaker, on the issue of relevance, I ask you to bring the Premier back to actually answering the question as to why they were engaging with businesses to carry out Commonwealth Games infrastructure projects while they were also engaged with lawyers in scrapping the Commonwealth Games.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked.

Jacinta ALLAN: As I was saying, when the costs were becoming between $6 billion and $7 billion for a 12-day sporting event, they did not stack up. That final decision was made on 17 July, and it was announced on 18 July. What has happened since then is we are getting on and delivering the more than 1300 social and affordable homes across regional Victoria, the investments in community sport and in tourism and major events, and the priorities that regional Victorians want us to continue to focus on, particularly in housing, because there is no more important issue for the government to focus on, in partnership with regional communities, right now.

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:30): Will the Premier apologise for deceiving regional businesses that lost time and money on Commonwealth Games projects the government had no intention of delivering?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The minister is warned.

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:31): I think the member for Nepean is relieved he has not got any of these questions today. Anyway, as I said, the Leader of the Opposition should be apologising for his ongoing deceit on this issue. We have been clear with regional Victorians: the decision was made on 17 July. It was announced on 18 July. Since then we have been working with regional communities – with businesses, with councils – on how we can deliver the key legacy benefits which were the reason why we agreed to host the games in the first place. You know what? There are going to be a hell of a lot of jobs in those 1300 affordable homes that are going to be built. There are going to be a hell of a lot of jobs in the community sport infrastructure that is going to continue to be invested in. There are also going to be significant jobs that are going to be supported in terms of the support that we are going to continue to provide to our important tourism and major events industry in regional Victoria. That is what we will continue to focus on.