Thursday, 5 October 2023

Commonwealth Games

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:11): My question is to the Premier. Yesterday the Premier said that cost blowouts associated with the Commonwealth Games cancellation only –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition’s question will be heard in silence.

John PESUTTO: Yesterday the Premier said that cost blowouts associated with the Commonwealth Games cancellation only ‘became apparent in the weeks leading up to that decision being made’. On 15 February the Commonwealth Games organising committee requested an extra $722 million in funding to deliver the Commonwealth Games. Why did the Premier mislead Victorians by stating that cost blowouts only became apparent weeks before the cancellation?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:13): The Leader of the Opposition refers to what I said in Parliament yesterday, and I will now go on and remind the Leader of the Opposition of what I also said in Parliament yesterday on this matter. As I said yesterday, as we were doing the work to deliver the regional Commonwealth Games in accordance with the agreement that was signed with the Commonwealth Games Federation and with Commonwealth Games Australia, we were looking at a range of options on how best to deliver the games in accordance with those agreements. We were looking at a range of options as to how to proceed with that work. As we were going through that process – and I make it very clear to the Leader of the Opposition – no final decisions were made. As I have said previously, estimates were constantly being updated. What I also said yesterday, which remains the case today, is that in the weeks leading up to the announcement of 18 July it became apparent those costings of between $6 billion and $7 billion materialised in the weeks leading up to the games –

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, I asked the Premier why she keeps referring to weeks leading up to the decision rather than the many months during which she had been advised of at least a $722 million blowout in February, five months before the decision was made.

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

Jacinta ALLAN: As I was saying, when that $6 billion to $7 billion range materialised for a 12-day sporting event, that became too much, particularly when we had the opportunity to get to work straightaway on the issues that were important to regional Victorians, particularly regional housing. That is why we made that decision to not proceed with the games, to instead focus on the key legacy reasons why we agreed to host the games in the first place. That was to focus on housing, to focus on community sport, to focus on supporting our tourism industry. Can I refer the house to how we have been able to get on with that work straightaway with the Regional Housing Fund, where we have already made announcements for the communities of Shepparton, Seymour, Rochester, Colac, Wodonga. We have been able to get on with that issue straightaway and support –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, can I refer you to Rulings from the Chair, page 152, and Speaker Maddigan’s ruling that an answer cannot be responding generally. The question specifically related to advice received five months earlier, and I ask you to bring the Premier back to that question.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked. The Premier has concluded her answer.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:16): Yesterday the Treasurer stated that ‘Prior to the retention of lawyers it was –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, I ask you to present your question, without assistance from those on my right.

John PESUTTO: Yesterday the Treasurer stated that –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for South Barwon, you have just come back into the chamber. I am sure you want to stay for the rest of question time. Leader of the Opposition, through the Chair.

John PESUTTO: Thank you, Speaker. Yesterday the Treasurer stated that –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Mordialloc, you are warned. Leader of the Opposition, if you are having trouble getting your question out, maybe you want to sit down. Can you direct your question through the Chair.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, standing order 115 does allow the Speaker the opportunity to keep the house in order, and I would say to you that the government clearly –

Members interjecting.

James Newbury: Speaker, every member has a right to be heard, and I would ask you if you would provide the opposition with an opportunity to be heard.

The SPEAKER: Members will be removed from the chamber if they continue to interject. The Manager of Opposition Business has raised a very important point of order. Being disrespectful to the Chair is not acceptable. The Leader of the Opposition will be heard in silence.

John PESUTTO: Yesterday the Treasurer stated that ‘Prior to the retention of lawyers, it was clear that there were market pressures’ and that ‘there were cost pressures’. Why did the Premier mislead the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee on 13 June by failing to mention these cost pressures, instead stating that ‘tremendous progress’ was being made on delivering the Commonwealth Games?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:20): As I have said previously, I stand by what I said to the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee. I also now will again remind the Leader of the Opposition that in the weeks leading up to 18 July those figures of $6 billion to $7 billion – $6 billion for a 12-day sporting event – became just too much, which is why the government made its final decision on 17 July. We announced it on 18 July, and that is why we are getting on right now with delivering more homes for regional Victorians, supporting community sporting infrastructure and supporting our tourism events. Again I remind the house and I remind the Leader of the Opposition that he has supported this government’s decision every step of the way.