Thursday, 17 August 2023

Formula One Australian Grand Prix

Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (17:35): (413) My adjournment this evening is to the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, and as I make this adjournment, too many in our community are not only struggling with the cost-of-living crisis but actively suffering. There is not enough affordable rental or public housing, so day after day more and more people and families slide into housing stress and into homelessness. People are risking their health because they cannot afford to take themselves to the GP or the dentist. And how many families would have loved to take their kids to watch the match on the big screen last night, but even though entrance was free, $40 in train fares to get there was simply beyond their weekly budget.

So within this context of struggling communities, struggling mums and dads, what news did we read on the weekend? The Age reported that the Andrews Labor government continues shovelling money into corporate welfare – into the money-losing pit that is the grand prix, which seems set to continue its trend of posting astronomical losses year on year. We have known for 15 years that the costs of this event have always outweighed its benefits. In 2007 the Victorian Auditor-General issued a peer-reviewed cost–benefit analysis of the 2005 grand prix event, finding it was a net loser for Victoria’s economy, reporting total costs of $69.8 million that year and only total benefits of $63.1 million. This year, in which we have both a cost-of-living crisis and a budget that has seen thousands of public sector workers being sacked, it beggars belief that this government expects Victorians to wear what is expected to be the grand prix’s first-ever $100 million loss, all for a four-day event that targets the elite. Now, unsurprisingly – but it is good to have it on the record – the Age reports that sources close to the grand prix negotiations confirmed that:

… a personal intervention by Premier Daniel Andrews to keep the race, resulted in Victoria paying an inflated price for an event that is this year expected to post its first $100 million loss.

No wonder the Premier is so insistent on pumping up the tyres of the grand prix – the dirt from this dodgy deal is on his hands. Let us think about what $100 million could bring for our hospitals, for our schools or in building public housing. Given the minister for tourism and major events also has the sports portfolio, perhaps he could think about sharing that with the Minister for Community Sport. Think about what $100 million could do to transform community sport across the state and in particular in Albert Park where this event is staged and where facilities are crumbling. My adjournment to the minister is: cancel the grand prix, give the people back their park and advocate for investment in what will actually benefit Victorians – public housing, better public transport services and community sport rather than elite events.