Thursday, 5 October 2023

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:22): My question is to the Premier. On 4 April the chair of the Commonwealth Games organising committee Peggy O’Neal wrote to the Premier seeking an urgent decision on the February request for additional funding. On what date did the Premier respond to the chair’s request?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:23): I met on a number of occasions with the chair and the CEO of the organising committee, and in terms of the response to the chair’s request, that was made on 18 July. We made the announcement of the final decision that was made by the cabinet the night before that to proceed with a 12-day sporting event that was going to cost between $6 million and $7 billion – and those costs materialised in the weeks leading up to that decision – was just too much, and that is why we are now getting on and supporting regional communities with those key legacy reasons why we agreed to host the games in the first place.

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:24): Will the Premier make available to the house the letter and her response to Peggy O’Neal’s request for more funding?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:24): All the budget arrangements in relation to the decisions around the Commonwealth Games will be reported through the usual way, and I note that, as appropriate, the Auditor-General is also undertaking a review on this matter.