Tuesday, 1 August 2023

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Commonwealth Games

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (13:36): (201) My question is for the Minister for Regional Development. Minister, at public accounts and estimates hearings in June of this year, 2023, you confirmed that:

… the $2.6 billion that is in the 2022–23 budget is for the entire games.

In the same month the government told Commonwealth Games Australia the cost was $4 billion and a few weeks ago told Victorians the cost was $7 billion. Minister, can you explain how the Commonwealth Games blew out by $4.4 billion in barely six weeks?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Equality) (13:36): Thank you, Ms Crozier, for that question. Again, just to reiterate what the Leader of the Government has said, I am really happy to provide the chamber with –

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Harriet SHING: I am trying to assist here, Ms Crozier. I am really happy to provide the chamber with information and assistance around the Commonwealth Games delivery legacy components within the work of regional development. I hope that this will assist the chamber in that regard, and I do not wish to create any precedent that might be used for any other portfolios.

Georgie Crozier interjected.

Harriet SHING: Ms Crozier, I am just getting to the point where I can assist you, okay? One of the things that we did have within the 2022–23 budget was the opportunity to secure $2.6 billion. Two billion dollars of that funding is now going toward the regional boost package, which will see a range of initiatives delivered and brought on line from now. That includes $1 billion in social and affordable housing, which adds to the $1.25 billion in regional Victoria. It also includes $150 million for the Regional Worker Accommodation Fund. It includes $150 million for the visitor economy and tourism fund. It includes $25 million to assist councils to defray the costs associated with work in preparation for 2026. It includes an additional $10 million for the Tiny Towns Fund. It includes $20 million for –

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, I understand the minister wants to speak about this disastrous legacy that this government are leaving and what they are now promoting, but the question was: can the minister explain how the Commonwealth Games blew out by $4.4 billion in barely six weeks since the time she was in PAEC and told that committee that there was a cost of $2.6 billion? It is a very simple question, President.

The PRESIDENT: I get your point of order. The minister still has a minute and 31 seconds for her answer, so I will call the minister to the question.

Harriet SHING: Thank you, President. I will just continue to round this out a little, given the information that you are seeking in other matters this week. We have also got $550 million to deliver permanent sporting infrastructure, $60 million for community sport infrastructure and programs, $40 million for an all-abilities fund and a range of other initiatives, including multicultural events and festivals.

Ms Crozier, it is always really important to read quotes in context, and what I would do is take you directly to –

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, I will say the quote again to the minister:

… the $2.6 billion that is in the 2022–23 budget is for the entire games.

That is the quote.

The PRESIDENT: I brought the minister back to the question on your last point of order, and I think she was about to get to the answer, so I will call the minister.

Harriet SHING: Ms Crozier, again you have just done yourself a little bit of a disservice, because the question that was asked at the time was from Mrs McArthur, and the question was:

As a legacy of these Commonwealth Games –

That is from Mrs McArthur:

As a legacy of these Commonwealth Games, how much is going to be spent on infrastructure projects that will leave a legacy?

That is the question, Ms Crozier, that I then responded to. And what I did say just now, if you were listening, was that we are delivering $550 million for sporting infrastructure. And what I also said in response to Mrs McArthur’s question is:

I am really happy to provide you with the information that splits up what has been done, but it is also important to note –

between infrastructure and legacy –

that the $2.6 billion –

that you have just quoted me on –

… is for the entire games. We are in the process of developing the split around where allocation will occur and how, and that is … why community partnerships are so important.

Context and misquoting, Ms Crozier – really important.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (13:41): I think the entire chamber realises the minister did not answer the question, so my supplementary is: according to reports, Minister, the government’s original costings for the Commonwealth Games did not include security and transport and underestimated the cost of multiple athletes villages; why were such basic elements of the event completely unaccounted for, and why should Victorians trust the government to manage major projects when costs blow out by so much?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Equality) (13:41): Thank you, Ms Crozier, for that supplementary. Again, the answer to your supplementary, as is the answer to your substantive, is found in the transcript that you are referring to now, and Mrs McArthur in fact helpfully set that out in a couple of questions. You want to –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! It is very difficult to expect that I am to determine whether the minister has answered the question or not when I cannot hear her, and she is interjected on to the point that she cannot even hear herself and continue. If the opposition want an answer, can the minister be heard in silence.

Harriet SHING: Thank you very much, President. Thank you, Ms Crozier. As I said, Mrs McArthur had a follow-up question to the one which you have just quoted me on, Ms Crozier, and did actually refer to the $2.6 billion forecast for Commonwealth Games expenditure, including intended contributions from the Commonwealth government and local government, and then asked:

How much has the government requested from each local council and how much was the intended contribution from the federal government?

So thank you, Mrs McArthur, for setting the scene for a complete and probably a bit embarrassing misrepresentation from you, Ms Crozier. I had then gone onto the record to say –

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, do I have to repeat the supplementary? It had nothing to do with what the minister is now responding to. I am happy to ask the question again, because I am not sure she understood it.

The PRESIDENT: I do not think that is necessary. The minister has got 6 seconds.

Harriet SHING: I would refer you to my answer in PAEC:

You realise that the Commonwealth Games can be funded through multiple budgets, Mrs McArthur, which is why those conversations are continuing with the Commonwealth.

That is the quote, Ms Crozier. I hope it will assist.