Criticism Mounts Against Victoria Government for Failing to Release Documents in Commonwealth Games Bid Inquiry

During the commotion surrounding the Commonwealth Games hosting, an inquiry investigating the cancelled bid has pointed out that the Victorian government did not provide necessary documents for evaluation.

The Select Committee on the 2026 Commonwealth Games Bid asked the government to follow specific procedures for claiming executive privilege over these documents within a two-week period. It also warned that not complying with Parliament’s directives or its committees to furnish documents could be viewed as contempt.

Tabled in the Senate on Sept. 10, the report indicates that the government did not adhere to the correct procedure for claiming executive privilege under Legislative Council Standing Orders for documents requested on May 1.

“These documents are crucial for the Committee’s inquiry, and the government’s lack of cooperation with the process might impede the Committee’s ability to carry out its duties as specified in its terms of reference,” the report noted.

The Committee elucidated that any challenges to claims of executive privilege by the motion’s proponent would be settled through the assignment of an independent legal referee to assess the legitimacy of such claims.

It criticized the government’s self-assessment of executive privilege, deeming it a violation of standing orders and obstruction to a transparent inquiry.

According to the report, on May 31, the attorney-general notified the Committee that 353 documents were within the order’s scope, with executive privilege claimed over 350 documents and partial claims over the remaining three.

The attorney-general referenced previous letters from ex-attorney-generals and the premier, outlining the government’s stance on safeguarding public interest and the boundaries of the Legislative Council’s authority to request documents.

On another note, reports indicate that Glasgow is poised to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games following Victoria’s abrupt withdrawal.

Scotland’s government is reportedly finalizing its agreement, with Commonwealth Games Australia offering a substantial investment to help secure the deal.

In July 2023, then-Victorian premier Daniel Andrews called off the bid, citing a significant increase in the event’s hosting cost. Initially projected at $2.6 billion (US$1.8 billion), the event’s cost had allegedly surged to nearly $7 billion.

Subsequently, the Victorian auditor-general released a report finding the state government’s cost estimates to be “overstated and lacking transparency.”