Tuesday, 17 October 2023

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:32): My question is to the Premier. The Premier advised the house that the cost blowouts for the Commonwealth Games only became apparent to her in the weeks leading up to the cancellation of the games on 18 July. The Premier last Tuesday admitted she knew about cost blowouts in March 2023. Why did the Premier mislead the house and Victorians by saying that she first found out about cost blowouts in the weeks leading up to 18 July, when she has now admitted that she knew in March?

Mary-Anne Thomas: On a point of order, Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition knows full well that if he wants to accuse the Premier of misleading the house, he needs to do so by way of a substantive motion.

The SPEAKER: Order! A substantive motion is when it is deliberately misleading the house. The Leader of the Opposition did not say the word ‘deliberately’.

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:33): I am going to give the answer to this question as I have given the answer on every question in relation to these matters. What I have said in this place and what I said last week and at press conferences is that as the government was working through how best to deliver the games consistent with the agreement that was signed with the Commonwealth Games Federation, we were looking at a range of options. I have said that in this house previously on a number of occasions. As those estimates were becoming actuals, we asked officials to look at a range of options and to seek further advice. Also, it was becoming apparent in the weeks leading up to the games that as the costs were coming in at between $6 billion and $7 billion it was becoming all about cost and not about benefit, which was the reason why we agreed to host the games in the first place, which is why the decision was taken that that amount of money for a 12-day sporting event was too much, particularly when there was the opportunity to instead invest in housing – a billion dollars in regional housing – community sport and tourism and major events. This is the answer I have consistently given to each and every question that has been put to me on this matter.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, this question is about the Premier’s two versions of events and being caught out with those two versions of events, and I would ask you to bring the Premier back to that question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked. The Premier has concluded her answer.

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:34): The Premier told Parliament on 13 June that ‘tremendous progress’ was being made on the Commonwealth Games when she was aware that she had already made a submission to increase the Commonwealth Games budget to over $4 billion. Will the Premier do the right thing and correct her misleading evidence?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:35): I stand by the evidence that I gave to the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee on 13 June. I answered every question that was put to me at that committee. I answered those questions directly. In terms of the progress, we were making progress, as I have said previously. We were working on how to best deliver the games consistent with the agreement that had been signed with the Commonwealth Games Federation on how to deliver a regional games model. That is the work that we were doing at the time. As we have advised previously, it became all about the cost and not about the benefit – a position where previously the Leader of the Opposition said he would do exactly the same thing, a position he agreed with. He might be changing his views. We have consistently made it very clear that the reason why we agreed in the first place was to bring legacy benefits to regional communities, and that is what we are now focused on.