Premier Daniel Andrews’ decision to abandon the 2026 Commonwealth Games is a shocking betrayal of regional Victoria.
This is not only another terrible broken promise, but demonstrates Labor’s contempt for regional communities across the state.
In failing to deliver any funding for the Games, the Albanese Government has also betrayed the people of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and Gippsland. Working hand in glove with Premier Andrews, Prime Minister Albanese and his city-centric government have broken our hearts.
This soul-destroying decision leaves our international sporting reputation in tatters, robs the regions of legacy sporting infrastructure and demonstrates the full scale of Labor’s economic mismanagement.
This is devasting for the athletes, their families and hundreds of small businesses which were gearing up to benefit from the Games.
Federal Labor MPs Richard Marles, Libby Coker, Catherine King and Lisa Chesters failed to stand up the communities they represent. They have shown they could not fight their way out of a paper bag.
After the slashing of the Howitzer defence project, the expected axing of Geelong Fast Rail and the failure to fund any new infrastructure projects in two Labor budgets, the loss of the Games is yet another savage blow for the Geelong region.
With the decision to deliver only demountable housing for athletes and a temporary ‘blow up’ pool complex in Armstrong Creek which would then be demolished, it was clear that Labor’s planning and costings for the Games were in chaos.
After this latest broken promise, no Victorian should trust a word that Labor says about delivering anything at all, let alone sporting infrastructure for the regions.
Today’s announcement shows that no infrastructure project in Victoria is safe from Labor’s razor gang.