Government’s Games Bid a ‘Stuff Up’ From the Start

‘This was not enough time to adequately consider the merits of hosting the Games.’

Flag Bearers of Team Nauru lead the team out during the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago, on Aug. 4, 2023. Jamie Squire/Getty Images for Commonwealth Sport

Victoria’s bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games was rushed and based on “grossly underestimated costs”, a parliamentary inquiry into the cancelled event has found.

When tabling the inquiry’s interim report on Tuesday, committee chair and Libertarian MP David Limbrick said Victoria’s decision to bid for the 2026 Commonwealth Games was a “stuff-up”.