Commonwealth Games
Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:34): (216) My question is to the Minister for Regional Development. When did the minister become aware that the initial Commonwealth Games Visit Victoria Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong proposal would be expanded to include the seats of Morwell and Shepparton?
Members interjecting.
Melina BATH: The Latrobe Valley and Shepparton regions.
Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Equality) (12:34): Again talking to this question as regional development minister, Visit Victoria is not part of the government in terms of the work that it has done. The agreement that was struck between the Commonwealth Games Federation, the CGA and the state related to delivery of the games across a number of locations. That included the Latrobe Valley. It included Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong. It also included Shepparton as part of delivering on those BMX events. We are continuing to work with those communities. Again, the subject of the agreement with the Commonwealth Games Federation was for delivery of the games across those four hubs and Shepparton.
Melina Bath: On a point of order, President, the minister is responding. She has got 2 minutes left. I am sure she will actually clarify as to when, and that was my question.
Harriet SHING: Thank you, Ms Bath. Again you are referring to a document with Visit Victoria that is not actually a Victorian government document as part of the bid process.
Members interjecting.
Harriet SHING: No, no. Again I take issue with your characterisation of the work of Visit Victoria. The distinction that I am wanting to be really clear on here is with the bid that was put in by and agreed between the Victorian government, the CGF and the CGA. Ms Bath, that is an agreement that was in place when I became the minister in December. When I was sworn into the portfolio I received a range of briefings on a range of matters, including matters that had been established and were extant for a significant period of time. Again, that is the subject of negotiations. It is really important that we are clear, though, about the nature of the agreement. The nature of the agreement to deliver on regional games related to Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, the Latrobe Valley and, again, additional sports to be undertaken in Creswick with the bike trails there and also Shepparton for the purpose of BMX.
Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:36): I thank the minister for her response. Victorians now see that the 2022 Commonwealth Games announcement was nothing more than a vast political con by the Andrews government to hold and win seats in an election year. The Commonwealth Games chief executive Craig Phillips only a few days ago, on 30 July, stated:
You have got to resist the temptation of using the Games for micro-political imperatives … That is what happened here. We ran into trouble by playing to local politics in the run-up to an election.
Minister, can you guarantee that no taxpayer funds from any of your departments came to polling those seats of Morwell or Shepparton?
Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Equality) (12:37): Again, there has been commentary made by a number of people, including in the preambles to questions that have been asked in this place and elsewhere. I do not intend to respond to that commentary. I also want to reconfirm that negotiations are continuing. Please do, however, not be under any misapprehensions about the fact that I was made the minister in December last year. I was part of the work from December last year until the cessation of the commission and my resignation from that role on the 18th. Again, this is work which is part of discussions and negotiations between the state, the CGF and the CGA, and we are continuing to deliver a record amount into those areas that you have identified, as we have done since 2014.