Thursday, 18 May 2023

Commonwealth Games

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:31): (152) My question is to the Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy. Is it a fact that the Commonwealth Labor government is contributing no money whatsoever to the 2026 Commonwealth Games to be run in regional Victoria and that the Albanese government will contribute nothing to the legacy of the Commonwealth Games?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, Minister for Equality) (12:32): Mr Davis, I am so pleased that at this late stage of question time you have been given an opportunity to ask about the Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth Games legacy. We are here in Victoria really well placed to deliver, host and manage international sporting events, and it has been a wonderful thing to see the level of engagement that is escalating and increasing. The enthusiasm right across rural and regional Victoria is a sight to behold, and the regional engagement forums that I have been part of, alongside the legacy round tables that are coming up around the regional hubs and further beyond those areas, are about understanding the way in which communities can contribute to the development and delivery of the games – this world-first opportunity for rural and regional Victoria to shine.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, we are 2 minutes in now and the minister has not gone near answering the question about what the Commonwealth Games legacy will be from the Commonwealth.

The PRESIDENT: We are actually 1 minute in. I ask the minister to continue.

Harriet SHING: Mr Davis, I am looking forward to using the rest of these 2 minutes to talk to you about the benefit of the Commonwealth Games and what they will deliver and in addition to that to talk about the way in which these games will contribute more than $3 billion to the state’s economy. They will create around 7500 jobs in the lead-up to, over the course of and following the games themselves.

As is the case for all major international events, assistance is required from the Commonwealth government in relation to the areas of support that will formulate the basis for a partnership under the responsibility of the Commonwealth government. This includes immigration, customs and border control, and it also includes ongoing conversations that the Deputy Premier in her role as Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery is continuing to have with federal counterparts. This is about making sure, as we partner with the Commonwealth to deliver a beautiful example of intergovernmental cooperation between councils, the Victorian government and our friends in Canberra, that we are pooling resources, that we are in a position to secure the funding, the assistance, the resources and the engagement from each other not just to deliver the games but to deliver the infrastructure and the opportunities to develop and deliver increased visitor –

David Davis: On a point of order, President, we are on the home stretch with time here. There are only 20-odd seconds left. The minister has not gone near responding to the simple point that the Albanese government will contribute nothing, zilch, to the Commonwealth Games legacy. That is what she needs to answer.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Davis, I am not upholding your point of order. My concern is that you have asked a question about what the federal government is going to do. This minister cannot speak for the federal government in terms of what contribution they are prepared to make to anything in the future, I would have thought.

David Davis: Further on the point of order, President, the state government sought a contribution from the federal government, which has not been forthcoming. Consequently, it is my contention that I want it confirmed by the minister that the federal contribution to the legacy will be zero.

The PRESIDENT: I am not too sure if you put that in your original question, but I am happy for the minister to respond in the time she has left.

Harriet SHING: Thank you, Mr Davis. Let us again step this out for you. The clue is in the title: Victoria 2026. There are a few budgets to go, and we are continuing our discussions with the Commonwealth around the way in which the funding, engagement, support and partnerships can be developed to deliver an extraordinary games to Victoria. I hope you will come along.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:37): I take it from what the minister said that she actually has no proper response to the fact that there will be no legacy from the Commonwealth. But I ask this question in response to her substantive answer: given the lack of Commonwealth government funding, how many homes will the legacy of the Commonwealth Games see remaining in Ballarat?

The PRESIDENT: I am struggling, Mr Davis, to see how that is connected to the substantive question.

David DAVIS: It is connected very directly, President, by the fact that we are talking about the Commonwealth Games legacy. Will there be any homes in Ballarat as a part of that legacy?

The PRESIDENT: But I think the legacy may be determined on whether it is a legacy from federal or state funding into the future. The minister can answer as she sees fit.

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, Minister for Equality) (12:38): Thank you, Mr Davis. It is a shame that you were only given this question 4 seconds before you got to your feet, because had you turned your mind to the wonderful opportunities of Victoria 2026 before you actually looked at that piece of paper for the first time you would know, as Mr McCracken also knows, that there will be 1800 athletes housed in the Ballarat village, that this will be a really wonderful way to bring athletes together and that the work is well underway to making sure that elite athletes have accommodation for the games that meet the high standards established and required under the delivery of any Commonwealth Games anywhere in the world. So, Mr Davis, I am not sure why it is that you think we are not actually proceeding with the development of this accommodation. Mr McCracken would probably be well served to take you around Ballarat and talk you through it. He is right over there behind you.