The Victorian government has defended its role in the cancelled 2026 Commonwealth Games as an inquiry into the initial bid handed down its report.
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While tabling the interim report, committee chair and Libertarian MP David Limbrick said Victoria's decision to bid for the 2026 Commonwealth Games was a "stuff-up".
"These Games were doomed from the beginning because they were built on the shaky foundations of a business case that grossly underestimated costs," he told the upper house.
"The committee found that the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions put limitations on the consultants that built the business case, including an unreasonably short time frame and strict confidentiality provisions preventing even site visits from occurring," Mr Limbrick said.
In April 2022, months away from a state election, the Victorian government agreed to host the Games in regional Victoria at an estimated cost of $2.6 billion but pulled out in July 2023, saying the figure had blown out to $6.9 billion.
The ultimate decision to withdraw from hosting the event cost Victoria over $589 million, including $380 million paid in compensation to Games organisers.
If the government took more time with the business case it may not have wasted more than $500 million of Victorian taxpayers' money, Mr Limbick said.
"It is my hope that the recommendations in the final report would minimise the risk of this type of error happening in future," he said.
The report made no recommendations but contained 23 findings including that the risks of hosting a large, multi-city event contributed to cost blowouts.
The final report is expected to be handed down in April 2025.
Labor MP and committee member Michael Galea said the inquiry had failed to produce the "smoking gun" coalition MPs had been seeking.
"We saw their outrageous behaviour when we had four ministers appear before our inquiry last year and all sorts of outrageous accusations," he said.
"They haven't been able to prove a single one of them."
But Mr Limbrick said much of the information requested from the government by the inquiry was either not provided or it claimed executive privilege.
He also expressed his disappointment at the refusal of Premier Jacinta Allan and her predecessor Daniel Andrews to front the inquiry to explain their decision.
Last month an inquiry into the Games' cancellation found the price estimate that resulted in it being shelved was "overstated and not transparent".
Victoria's Auditor-General's Office said agencies failed to work together to give "frank, full and timely advice" to the government before it decided to host the Games.
The Commonwealth Games Federation plans to announce a new host for the 2026 Games in May, with Scotland's Glasgow among the cities considering a tilt at the event.
Australian Associated Press
