Victoria has bid to host another major sporting event despite the sensational cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Melbourne has made it to the final list of contenders to host the 2030 Gay Games after former Premier Daniel Andrews cancelled the Commonwealth Games after previously agreeing to host the event.
The Gay Games are expected to become a major economic driver for the host city, with Paris recording a profit of $118 million after hosting the event in 2018.
But detractors criticize the state’s enthusiasm for hosting the event after it had agreed host the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and five regional Victorian cities in April 2022 before withdrawing in July 2023.
Then-premier Mr Andrews justified the cancellation of the 2026 Games by arguing that the event’s initial budget of $2.6 billion had later grown to more than $7 billion.
The cancellation cost Victorian taxpayers $586 million, including a $380 million compensation payment to Commonwealth Games organisers.
Former Premier Jeff Kennett said he had no faith the state government could deliver the Gay Games.
“Why would anyone, any organising committee, trust the state government to deliver on its promises?” Mr Kennett asked. he told the Herald Sun.
Melbourne is among the last contenders vying to host the 2030 Gay Games
Just over a year ago, former Premier Daniel Andrews sensationally pulled Victoria out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Mr Kennett added that Victorians were unlikely to trust their government’s price estimates after it severely underestimated the cost of the Commonwealth Games.
“Has due diligence been carried out in terms of cost and feasibility, or is this simply an application without any associated business plan, like the Commonwealth Games?” Kennett asked.
“If that is the case, that should be made public, so that people can have some confidence that the government knows what it is doing.”
The state government, now led by Premier Jacinta Allan, made the decision to pursue the Gay Games just months after Andrews cancelled the Commonwealth Games.
Commonwealth Games Australia president Ben Houston said the decision to cancel “called into question Australia’s integrity to host world-class events.”
“The costs of cancelling the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games are enormous… not to mention the reputational damage it would cause,” Houston said.
In May, a parliamentary inquiry concluded that Victoria’s bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games was rushed and based on vastly underestimated costs.
The games faced an uncertain future following Mr Andrews’ cancellation before Scotland offered to resurrect the event in Glasgow, a proposal still under consideration.
Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Events Sam Groth has criticised the Labor government for “wasting” nearly $600 million.
“How can any Victorian trust the Labor Party to pull off this event?” he asked.
In response, a Victorian government spokesperson said “we are always looking at new opportunities and events” as the nation’s “grand challenge”.‘capital of major events’.
The state government declined to provide the publication with any of its cost projections or plans for hosting the 2030 event.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Victorian government for comment.
Prime Minister Jacinta Allan’s government made the decision to pursue the Gay Games within months of Andrews cancelling the 2026 Commonwealth Games (pictured)
In May, a parliamentary hearing found that Victoria had “grossly” underestimated the costs of the 2026 Commonwealth Games before agreeing to host them.
Melbourne is one of 10 finalists considered for hosting duties, competing against Perth, Adelaide, Auckland, Cape Town, Frankfurt, Denver, Taipei, Vancouver and Edmonton.
The Gay Games are a 10-day event that celebrates and promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and athletic people.
According to its website, the event is open to everyone “regardless of sexuality, gender, age or any other characteristic.”
In December, 25 cities were in the running to host the games, but that number has since been whittled down to a shortlist of 10.
In May, staff in the office of Victorian Major Events Minister Steve Dimopoulos arranged a meeting with Gay Games advocates.
State representatives will then travel to Washington will formally present its city to organizers in October.
The Gay Games were first held in San Francisco in 1982 and other hosts have included Hong Kong, Guadalajara in Mexico in 2023 and Sydney in 2002.