Tuesday, 17 October 2023

Commonwealth Games

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:38): My question is to the Premier. The Department of Treasury and Finance Secretary gave evidence at last week’s hearings that the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions provided an increased $4.2 billion budget submission to host the Commonwealth Games prior to the now Premier appearing before a parliamentary committee. Why didn’t the Premier inform Parliament about her Commonwealth Games budget blowouts?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:39): As I said in my previous answer, I stand by the evidence I gave to the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee. We were working through how best to deliver the games in line with the agreement with the Commonwealth Games Federation. No final decisions had been made. We were still working through the cost estimates that were coming through. When the final decision was made on 17 July and announced pretty much straightaway early on the morning of 18 July, that was on the basis of the figures coming in at that between $6 million to $7 billion range, which was just too much for a 12-day sporting event, particularly when one of the most critical issues for regional Victorians at this point in time is the building of more homes for regional communities.

Peter Walsh: On a point of order, Speaker, I would ask you to bring the Premier back to actually answering the question from the Leader of the Opposition about why she did not inform the Parliament of the Commonwealth Games blowouts given she had already put a budget bid in for increased funding.

The SPEAKER: The Premier is being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: Thank you, Speaker. I repeat for the benefit of the Leader of the National Party that no final decision had been made. We were still getting advice from officials. That is consistent with evidence that was given by the departments last week at the hearings that have been held, and we were looking at how to get further advice from officials. When it became clear, and we have said this consistently, that it was emerging that the cost of the games was between $6 billion and $7 billion, we made the decision. We made the decision on 17 July. We announced it on 18 July. On 18 or 19 July the Leader of the Opposition said he would have done exactly the same thing should he have been in that position. I stand by the evidence I have given to that committee.

Peter Walsh: On a point of order, Speaker, on the issue of relevance again, the Premier may keep giving the same answer she is giving, but she is not actually answering –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Nationals has the right to raise his point of order in silence.

Peter Walsh: So on the issue of relevance, Speaker, the Premier may continue to put the same words out every time. She is not actually addressing the question that the –

Darren Cheeseman interjected.

Peter Walsh: The point of order is that the Premier is not addressing the issues that –

Members interjecting.

Peter Walsh: Through the Chair, Speaker, can I remind the member for South Barwon –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Assistant Treasurer will come to order!

Peter Walsh: On the issue of relevance, can you bring the Premier back to answering the question that the Leader of the Opposition actually asked and not continuing to give a misinformation answer.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Nationals, I would ask members to make their points of order in a succinct manner. The Premier has concluded her answer.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:42): On 13 June 2023 the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Treasury and Finance informed then Premier Andrews that they would not support the then Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery’s $4.2 billion budget submission. On what date did the now Premier first provide the increased budget submission to these departments?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:42): As has been previously advised, the Auditor-General is looking at all these matters in terms of the budget processes and the decisions that were made around the process as we were working through. We have said this clearly. We have said this in this house, we have said it publicly as well, in the months leading up to working through the decision that was made estimates were being turned into actuals. We were working through market-sounding processes –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question asked the Premier for a date. The Premier has not come anywhere near providing that date.

The SPEAKER: The Premier is being relevant to the question. I would ask the Premier to resume her answer.

Jacinta ALLAN: As the Treasurer is often wont to remind me, when decisions are made, decisions are announced, and the final decision was made by the government on 17 July and announced the very next day.