Commonwealth Games
Brad BATTIN (Berwick) (09:48): Cancelling the Commonwealth Games was not just the cancellation of the dreams of many athletes, particularly of this generation, who would have had an opportunity to compete on their home turf, but also the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games for those of all abilities. This is one of the only sporting events in the world where people of all abilities can compete at the same events as our elite sportspeople. It is something that has now been cancelled because this government has no care when it comes to what they did with the Commonwealth Games in Victoria. It is also a cancellation of confidence within our state, a cancellation of contracts for many businesses who were getting ready and prepared for what the financial returns would have been for them if the Commonwealth Games had proceeded. It is a cancellation of confidence in country and regional Victoria – Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and down through Gippsland – where you would have had events come in. It is not just about people turning up and the tourism at the time – we all know we love having the F1 grand prix in Melbourne for a reason, and that is because people around the world for four days effectively get an advert of why you should come to Melbourne and what an amazing place it is. The government has missed an opportunity by cancelling an event that would have highlighted places like Bendigo – which, Speaker, you know is a wonderful place to go to – Ballarat, Gippsland and Geelong. The whole world would have seen that so that when they come here to Victoria they do not just go to Melbourne, but get to see the best of our state in regional Victoria.