Prime Minister Dan Andrews has pulled out of another global sporting event Victoria was to host just months before his shock decision to quit the Commonwealth Games.
The state government revealed Tuesday that it would not host the Games in 2026, blaming a forecast of $2.6 billion to $6 billion in costs, but vowed to continue infrastructure improvements and home construction related to the event.
The decision caught many by surprise, but Andrews may have been secretly musing for weeks, if not months, after taking a similar approach with the 2025 beach volleyball world championships, which she abruptly canceled in October.
The Victorian government had committed $15 million to stage the event and just two weeks after pulling out, it spent the same amount to bail out Netball Australia after a funding deal with Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting collapsed.
Volleyball Australia Chairman Craig Carracher said news corporation he was never given an explanation as to why Mr. Andrews had broken the promise of funding.
“I don’t understand how they can put their hand up, put their hand down, put it up and put it back down again,” Carracher said.
“The reason they pulled the plug was never documented to us.”
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews backed out of a deal to host the beach volleyball world championships months before going on a larger scale with the Commonwealth Games.
A Victorian government spokesperson said the volleyball world title funding deal was a non-binding expression of interest, no contracts had been signed and it was well before Netball Australia’s Visit Victoria sponsorship was even considered.
Carracher argues that a deal was signed as part of the government’s joint bid with Volleyball Australia and Torquay had been chosen as the venue, its infrastructure would again be used for the Commonwealth Games.
Australian beach volleyball Olympic gold medalist Natalie Cook told the publication that redirecting funds for her sport’s world championships and then withdrawing from the Commonwealth Games had damaged Australia’s reputation.
She said the Victorian government would be seen as “unreliable and incapable of managing its projects” and that regional areas reliant on event revenue had been left to nothing.
Volleyball Australia finally signed an agreement with South Australia to host the event after months of frantic negotiations and the tournament was almost withdrawn from Australia and handed over to another country.
Volleyball players Chris McHugh, Paul Burnett, Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy pose during the Australia 2022 Commonwealth Games beach volleyball team announcement at Sandstorm Beach Club on May 13, 2022 in Brisbane
The Australian women’s team won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, but Victoria’s elimination from the world championships and the 2026 Games has thrown preparations into disarray.
On Wednesday Andrews said the Victorian regional centers in Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong and Latrobe Valley that were to host the Commonwealth Games will now have to share their infrastructure funds with the rest of the state.
The financing has become a social housing fund.
“Because we are delivering more than we originally planned as an athletes’ village or legacy, there are additional homes for other parts of the Victorian region,” Mr Andrews told reporters in Maryborough.
The government also announced $150 million to house workers in regions facing housing shortages.
Regional Cities Victoria President and Mayor of Bendigo Angela Metcalf said that while the decision to cancel the Games had been disappointing, she hoped the social housing fund would continue to help communities.
“But we must see a renewed focus on making our regional cities even better places to live and work,” Cr Metcalf said.
He also backed the government’s plans to support housing for regional workers.
“Lack of housing stock prevents regional businesses from attracting the workers they need, and many locals are increasingly locked out of the market, especially renters,” he said.
Victorian Tourism Industry Council chief executive Felicia Mariani said the housing package for workers did not go far enough to support a sector that had been betting on a big windfall from the Games.
“VTIC is calling for an investment of $80-$100 million in a major, game-changing tourism infrastructure fund and $40-$60 million in a regional tourism marketing fund to drive demand across national and global audiences that these Games promised to deliver,” said Ms. Mariani.
State opposition leader John Pesutto said he was deeply concerned by the “betrayal” of the Victoria region.
