Commentary
The decision by the Victorian Labor government to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games is a major blow to the regional communities—promised world-class sporting events and infrastructure—and an assault on the reputation of the state; indeed the nation.
The Games had been scheduled to showcase regional Victoria, with major events in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Shepparton, and the Latrobe Valley.
Just weeks ago, the Victorian government published its budget, which put the expenditure on the Games at $2.6 billion (US$1.77 billion). It is unbelievable that the cost could blow out to almost $7 billion in just a couple of weeks.
The decision to seek the Games—and the jettisoning of them—reeks of political opportunism….