Victoria Cancels Hosting 2026 Commonwealth Games

S2 on 18/07/2023 - 10:15
Last edited 18/07/2023 - 14:40 by 1 other user

Front page news Who remembered it was even in Australia?

Very disappointing for the athletes. Shame that it has to cost so much. No doubt the cost of building anything contributed to this.

I've seen one comment saying it's become a spectacle more than a sporting event. That got me thinking that I would accept it being scaled down to be less visually extravagant and more focused on sporting achievement.
What are your thoughts on cancelling the 2026 Commonwealth Games?

Edit 1: The cost of the games was originally budgeted at $2.6 billion, but new estimates is $6 billion and potential more than $7 billion. This has triggered the decision to cancel.

Edit 2: politics and finances aside, it is extremely sad for sport.

Sports & Outdoors Commonwealth Games

Comments

  • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 10:18
    +23

    I also liked the idea of expanding Victoria's regional areas. We have so much land in Australia. If only we would expand out rather than all bunch up in cities.

      • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 10:32
        +55

        You must be very passionate on this point that you skipped including any bolding.
        Australia isn't low on land. There is plenty to provide space for people and agriculture.

        • brendanm on 18/07/2023 - 10:36
          +44

          We could just have less people instead.

          • pharkurnell on 18/07/2023 - 10:38
            +6

            @brendanm: Too logical.

            • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 10:45

              @pharkurnell: People want to live in Australia. I've been told humans are social creatures. Therefore, I think having more people is a desireable outcome for more people.
              What happened to the more the merrier?
              I just think we could spread out more. There is plenty of space to do so.

              • pharkurnell on 18/07/2023 - 10:47
                +7

                @S2: But no body wants to live in those areas.. As theres little opportunity for employment etc.

                • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 10:53
                  +1

                  @pharkurnell: $2.6 billion could help with providing more opportunity.
                  This comes back to my first comment: I also liked the idea of expanding Victoria's regional areas. More people will live there, they will need more services and stores, which will bring more employment opportunities.
                  Having said all this, Victoria's Docklands experiment has failed massively and justified your comment that no one wants to live in those areas.
                  Clearly I'm no expert.

                  • SlickMick on 19/07/2023 - 09:10

                    @S2: You're right. A lot of major construction happens to develop the economy rather than because the construction justified the expense. Then society reaps the benefits forever more.

                  • greatlamp on 19/07/2023 - 13:01
                    +2

                    @S2: The Docklands is deserted because apartments were overpriced, and everything was bought by foreign investors and left empty.

                    Suburbs need to be designed by local councils again, the free market doesn't build things people want to live in.

              • brendanm on 18/07/2023 - 13:56

                @S2: Have a bit of a think about all of that.

              • Protractor on 18/07/2023 - 15:25
                +9

                @S2: If you want more ppl you can have them and the impacts in YOUR backyard.
                Good riddance to the games. It's a waste. It doesn't help with the current major issues,. Nor does migration full stop. But hey, I'm sure the cookers will bag Dan & have become overnight CG lovers

                • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 19:34
                  -3

                  @Protractor:

                  the impacts in YOUR backyard.

                  I think we can find a happy middle here. If more people are coming over anyway, it would be better if they spread into the regional areas rather than impacting on either of our backyards.
                  I acknowledge the point that with less people around, there will be more for everyone already here. The differing perspective I'm offering is that Australia is a huge continent and has space for far more people.

                  • Protractor on 18/07/2023 - 19:38
                    +15

                    @S2: Rubbish. The water,energy,transport and environment are already buckling. We need all the forest we can get to sequester carbon. Small rural communities don't want growth for the sake of jobs.
                    We are a huge DRY continent. The goose that laid the golden egg. I get everyone wants a piece of it, and I get govts and business want fuel for the capitalist furnace, but the planet is past its sustainable limit period. Us more than many countries deserve space to ENJOY the space. Space is not for filling up.

                    • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 21:32

                      @Protractor:

                      The water,energy,transport and environment are already buckling.

                      True, yet there can be solutions to these challenges. People have found solutions to these things over time, I don't think this is the end of our growth.

                      • Protractor on 18/07/2023 - 21:50
                        +2

                        @S2: It isn't .
                        Much like a cancer.
                        But so what?
                        We need remission. Sadly there is no cure for this growth that ppl could endure, because we are too lazy to breed less.
                        You seem to be over invested in the inevitable tragedy of this crap. You can lead a horse to water….until there is none

                        • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 21:56
                          +2

                          @Protractor:

                          You seem to be over invested in the inevitable tragedy of this crap.

                          I am caught in the spiral of replies - and as you've hinted, I will stop soon. It was not my intention when setting up this post, although I do appreciate the comments. Whilst my replies may appear stubborn, I do consider the statements made and maybe one day will realise and promote the points made by yourself and others.

                          • Protractor on 18/07/2023 - 21:58
                            -2

                            @S2: Hint. Get out more. Pay attention. Start looking at non human ,non capitalist crap. (nature) Who knows, maybe you'll be welcomed back in.

                            • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 22:02

                              @Protractor:

                              Get out more.

                              You mean to like, regional Victoria?
                              Alright, this is just a joke reply and I will take your advice. Have a good night.

                    • RefusdClassification on 21/07/2023 - 15:15
                      +1

                      @Protractor: Capitalists want to exploit (ie ruin) everything. They consider untouched wilderness to be wasted potential. “The Capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them.” - Lenin.

                      I read that the long tern sustainable population for Australia is 7 million. Instead on open door immigration, we should be rescinding citizenship and booting people out of the country (exile), starting with ALP, Liberal and Greens politicians who support policies of endless growth in a finite world.

                      • Protractor on 21/07/2023 - 15:18
                        +1

                        @RefusdClassification: Word.

                        None of the major migration streams have individuals who give a shit about Australia or it's nature. Much like the current trough dwellers in govt

                  • Ghost47 on 18/07/2023 - 21:38
                    +9

                    @S2: Regional areas don't have the infrastructure or jobs to support a population boom mate. We could send thousands of Chinese and Indians to Ballarat or Bendigo but where are they going to live? Where are they gonna work?

                    We might have plenty of land but it doesn't mean that land actually has the facilities to house or support people. We are way behind the curve when it comes to infrastructure in this country, look at all the construction going on in Victoria, that's happening due to years of inaction by previous governments. Not only that but there are people who think it's nonsense to build things because it costs money. I'm willing to bet plenty of LNP voters are mad at Dan right now for all the money he's been spending on construction.

                    You need to realise this: the main reason we have such high immigration is because we import wealthy immigrants to keep the ponzi housing scheme going. Once those wealthy immigrants put down a deposit on a house (probably their life savings for some of them), they are then locked into slave labor for the rest of their life to pay off the house. Immigration is a sugar hit to the housing market and our economy and it doesn't really create a strong foundation for the economy's future because importing rich people to buy houses isn't going to work forever.

                    • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 21:52
                      +3

                      @Ghost47:

                      Regional areas don't have the infrastructure or jobs to support a population boom mate.

                      Which is why my statement was "I also liked the idea of expanding Victoria's regional areas." These games would have set up some of that infrastructure to encourage and support greater population in regional areas.

                      You need to realise this: the main reason we have such high immigration is because we import wealthy immigrants to keep the ponzi housing scheme going.

                      We're going way off track and you may be right and the conversation is expanding into regional topics. Either way, I'm not able to keep track.

                      wealthy immigrants put down a deposit on a house (probably their life savings for some of them)

                      It's either they're wealth immigrants or slave laborers. This is part of the reason why I am not able to keep up. If it's a combination of both, then they should be referred to as just immigrants, rather than wealthy immigrants.

                      • CowFrogHorse on 20/07/2023 - 19:09

                        @S2: S2: Which is why my statement was "I also liked the idea of expanding Victoria's regional areas."

                        cow: Why do you like the idea of expanding regional areas ?

                        S2: These games would have set up some of that infrastructure to encourage and support greater population in regional areas.

                        cow: WHy do we need a great population ?

                        Do you really want to live in a city of 50million people ?

                        Do you really want to waste your life in a sardine can like in Tokyo or Shanghai, where theres almost no parks, and its just more and more concrete jungle.

                        Is it really a great prize to waste your entire life commuting to and from work or at work like they do in Tokyo ?

                        • S2 on 20/07/2023 - 20:50

                          @CowFrogHorse:

                          cow: Why do you like the idea of expanding regional areas ?

                          the reply is within your message, we could spread out instead of living "life in a sardine can like in Tokyo or Shanghai", which is how I think many feel like they are experiencing now in Australian capital cities.

                          Do you really want to live in a city of 50million people ?

                          Your question has made me realised that I've been taken off track in this message thread. To clarify, I like the idea of people living in a spread out space, rather than crowded together like in Tokyo or Shanghai or Melbourne or Sydney or Brisbane etc.

                          I am not advocating or denoucing population growth. The existing number of people can spread out to live in more spaces rather than crowding in the same suburbs. This is the same with additional people entering Australia, I'd prefer them spreading out rather than crowding in the same suburbs.

                          My main thought was that our major citys are crowded and I liked the idea of us living in more areas, like regional Victoria. But it seems many are concerned by over population and I am seeing more headlines about it too - generating fear. Now I am faced with questions of wanting to waste my life. Down the rabbit hole I fell.

                          I clearly don't have solutions to any of the problems raised across this post, but I am certain that being open to the possibilities of solutions being found enables greater benefit than focusing on all the negatives.

                          • CowFrogHorse on 20/07/2023 - 20:56

                            @S2: s3: the reply is within your message, we could spread out instead of living "life in a sardine can like in Tokyo or Shanghai", which is how I think many feel like they are experiencing now in Australian capital cities.

                            cow: You know very well thats not the reality of what ACTUALLY happens.

                            Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane are perfect examples of what REALLY happens when you try and increase the population.

                            Even if we did increase the population, DO you and YOUR Family win from this ?

                            Of course not…

                            I mean why would you ?

                            s2: My main thought was that our major citys are crowded and I liked the idea of us living in more areas, like regional Victoria.

                            cow: stop daydreaming. If you are enabling all the arseholes out there by pretending there is a solution to Big Australia. THe practical truth is there is no solution, We dont have the technology, money or anything that pays for all this nonsense.

                            There is only one reasonable answer, and thats to stop any such ideas.

                            s2: I clearly don't have solutions to any of the problems raised across this post, but I am certain that being open to the possibilities of solutions being found enables greater benefit than focusing on all the negatives.

                            cow: There is an answer - STOP.

                            If you house has only so many rooms, the sensible answer is not to try and fit 100 people in your home, because MORE only means WORSE… Its that simple.

                            • S2 on 20/07/2023 - 21:40

                              @CowFrogHorse:

                              If you house has only so many rooms, the sensible answer is not to try and fit 100 people in your home

                              Australia is currently not a limited room house trying to fit 100 people in. It doesn't have endless inhabitable space, but Australia is the 4th largest country by land size - nearly as big as the USA - yet has the population of Taxas. Maybe not around you, but there is space.

                              Even if we did increase the population,

                              Again, my comment was not intended to focus on increasing the population. It was about reducing density by having more people live in more areas rather than just the same cities.

                              DO you and YOUR Family win from this ?

                              Despite what you may believe, I can want things that benefit others and not me. It's not always the case, but it does happen.

                              THe practical truth is there is no solution, We dont have the technology, money or anything that pays for all this nonsense.

                              We will have to remain in difference here.

                              If you are enabling all the arseholes out there by pretending there is a solution to Big Australia.

                              You've indicated that you've run out of ideas besides "There is only one reasonable answer, and thats to stop any such ideas." Those arseholes are determined and will find solutions around your limited solutions.

                              • CowFrogHorse on 20/07/2023 - 22:02

                                @S2: S2: Australia is currently not a limited room house trying to fit 100 people in.

                                cow: Have you actually seen what has happened in Sydney for example ?

                                Do you know why people waste hours in traffic or commuting in Sydney ? Thats what happens when there are too many people. TOo many people and the system cant handle it.

                                Are you really going to tell me it not overpopulated ? In most schools kids cant even run or play cricket because theres no space.

                                ~

                                s2:It doesn't have endless inhabitable space, but Australia is the 4th largest country by land size -

                                cow: Australia is not 4th its 6th.

                                https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia

                                Australia is the largest country by area in Oceania and the world's sixth-largest country.

                                ~

                                S2: nearly as big as the USA - yet has the population of Taxas. Maybe not around you, but there is space.
                                cow: So what if it is… again i ask is there prize for having double the people in Australia ?

                                ~

                                cow: Even if we did increase the population,

                                S2: Again, my comment was not intended to focus on increasing the population. It was about reducing density by having more people live in more areas rather than just the same cities.

                                cow: Stop talking bullshit you know very well thats not going to happen…. 8 or 9 out of 10 new immigrants are going to end up in a big city. Be realisstic stop talking about a perfect world.

                                ~

                                cow: DO you and YOUR Family win from this ?

                                s2: Despite what you may believe, I can want things that benefit others and not me. It's not always the case, but it does happen.

                                cow: How ?

                                Do you think its smart or kind to screw everyone in Sydney to wast 4 hours a day commuting so you can make a few extra dollars ?

                                ~

                                s2: You've indicated that you've run out of ideas besides "There is only one reasonable answer, and thats to stop any such ideas." Those arseholes are determined and will find solutions around your limited solutions

                                cow: Stop talking bullshit an face simple facts.

                                More people does not improve the life of anyone in any country on earth today. Anyone who thinks MORE people makes things better is an idiot. 99 out of 100 examples on earth clearly show everyone is a loser?

                                Wake up and face reality its your life.

              • jatyap on 18/07/2023 - 17:46
                +1

                @S2: Spreading out is counterproductive to socializing, though. Especially at the scales you are proposing.

              • poohduck on 18/07/2023 - 21:18
                +2

                @S2: Rising intolerance, crime, poverty, homelessness, destruction of the environment and all life (including our own). We're the one species that should limit their number - we are this planet's number 1 threat to all life.

                • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 21:41

                  @poohduck:

                  We're the one species that should limit their number - we are this planet's number 1 threat to all life.

                  This is very true considering the widespread extinction humanity has caused. Although that isn't a reflection on the growing population of people. I see your statement as saying "we should reduce the number of humans on earth and everyone will be happy and healthy, including the planet."
                  What I am saying is we have space in Australia for more people. They can be happy and healthy and not threat all life. It's not mutually exclusive.

                  • Protractor on 18/07/2023 - 21:52
                    -3

                    @S2: It is. And you are repeatedly reinterpreting peoples valid points to suit whatever perverse agenda it is that you have

              • AdosHouse on 19/07/2023 - 13:58
                +2

                @S2: "humans are social creatures"

                Today I learned I'm not human. Makes sense in hindsight.

              • Leadfoot6 on 20/07/2023 - 03:44
                +1

                @S2: @ S2(from about 20 posts above (why does this forum do it this way?)):https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/14045459/redir

                But by doing so(spreading out) you will make Euphemistic very upset:

                https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/14048866/redir

                That would increase our dependency on the evil car.

                Can't have that.

                • S2 on 20/07/2023 - 21:47

                  @Leadfoot6:

                  why does this forum do it this way?

                  Strong agreement here, the conversation groupings could be so much better.

                  But by doing so(spreading out) you will make Euphemistic very upset:

                  Please spare me any further spirals on these topics. It's definitely time to stop following the thread.

                  Euphemistic: Urban sprawl has massively contributed to the need for cars.

                  We could build more public transport.
                  Darn it, now I'm going to face Euphemistic's wrath too.

            • Logical on 18/07/2023 - 23:42

              @pharkurnell: yes

          • HarryBolt66 on 18/07/2023 - 12:50
            +5

            @brendanm: Interesting offer but best I can do is eleventy million Indian immigrants over the next 5 years.

          • Gdsamp on 18/07/2023 - 13:42
            -2

            @brendanm: unfortunately we have such a prosperous and educated society that fertility rate is below replacement rate. So we must import folks to pay for future pensions.

          • qaz182 on 18/07/2023 - 13:48
            +1

            @brendanm: Depopulate? You first.

            • brendanm on 18/07/2023 - 13:55
              -3

              @qaz182: Dense? Yes you are.

              • Protractor on 18/07/2023 - 19:40
                +2

                @brendanm: It's funny how 'breeding less' is incomprehensible for the flesh collecting masses. As soon as you say 'overpopulated' they accuse you of wanting to knock ppl on the head or sterilise ppl.
                We missed the latter ,opportunity, LOL

                Take that>
                +

          • lonewolf on 19/07/2023 - 14:36

            @brendanm: 100%. This will fix a lot of issues from nature issues to environment issues, water shortages etc.

          • ronnknee on 20/07/2023 - 14:28

            @brendanm: Thanos says hi.

        • RefusdClassification on 18/07/2023 - 16:36
          +3

          Plenty of space is technically correct. However, none of the immigrants coming to Australia want to live in the middle or central West. I don't either; larger daily temperature fluctuations, little water, little vegetation. Australia cannot support the population density of Europe or the USA. Most of our land is garbage nobody wants UNLESS it contains a mineral deposit.

        • mountaineer on 18/07/2023 - 18:13

          To do what? Other than digging into what's underground and sell what grow out of the land, what is Australia's tech edge, our competitive advantage if any?

          • Ghost47 on 18/07/2023 - 18:29
            +4

            @mountaineer: We are very good at pumping housing Ponzi schemes that are reliant on the greater fool theory. Maybe we can export that model to other nations? REAs could be seen as gods as we pump housing in India and Malaysia.

            But seriously there are some fledgling indie game developers out there. We are very good at mining which is why there are numerous ASX companies out there getting mines set up in Africa, China and South America (how our mining companies compare to Chinese or US mining companies im not sure though). There’s a company in Queensland that builds warships too (Austal).

            We have the talent (Australians did invent WiFi, the HPV vaccine and assisted in development of penicillin as a few examples) but not the investment because everyone is too busy throwing money at dumb houses now. Policy after policy focusses on pumping housing prices upwards as well. Literally one of our main focusses now is to just keep property prices going up because that makes people feel rich, even to the detriment of our future economy. Our housing market is worth something like 9.5T whereas the entire ASX is worth 2.5T LOL!

        • Daddy Chill on 18/07/2023 - 23:01
          +1

          JV just got fisted

        • Rob-4x4 on 19/07/2023 - 09:18
          +5

          Australia is actually very low on Arable land for agriculture especially high intensity agriculture .
          Land that is suitable for things like market gardens etc is in very short supply and a lot has already been built over.
          Also Australia is very very low of fresh water suitable for Human consumption and even agriculture. We do have large artesian basins but the water inflow to them is low and the water quality off basins is poor.. hence underground water is a resource that needs to be be very carefully used so it does not run out .
          And Australian is good at wasting the fresh water we have.. Australia needs to get much better are recycling it and using treaded waste water more for industry etc..

          Australia needs more high density cities with good recycling of resources like fresh water in the style of places like New York rather than endless urban sprawl often over rare high quality farm lands.

          • ssfps on 19/07/2023 - 18:12

            @Rob-4x4:

            Australia needs to get much better are recycling it and using treaded waste water more for industry etc..

            No we don't, a desal plant is relatively cheap and can be built entirely self-powered (renewables). We'd just rather buy a submarine or a few tanks, or donate the money to some overseas war effort, then harp on about water restrictions.

            • CowFrogHorse on 20/07/2023 - 19:06

              @ssfps: @Ssfps

              WHy do we need a desal plant ?

              What is the prize in having 10x the people in Sydney ?

              Do you really want 10x the people in your local school ?

              Do you really want 10x the cars on the road, or 10x the people on the trains ?

              • ssfps on 21/07/2023 - 00:36
                +1

                @CowFrogHorse: I don't want more people, I just don't think it's accurate to say we're low on fresh water in coastal areas, at least not in a meaningful way. Environmentally friendly desal exists, so people/local councils should stfu about running out of water and build some more desal if they actually care.

          • CowFrogHorse on 20/07/2023 - 19:05
            +1

            @Rob-4x4: NYC has good recycling ?

            What a joke, NYC looks like a ghetto. As an example of this statement look at the trains, they are an embarrassment, trains in Africa look better than them. Did i mention the rats and homeless ?

      • donkcat on 18/07/2023 - 11:30

        Some of Victoria's best agricultural land has long been used for huge blue gum plantations for the sole purpose of shredding to pulp and exported to Japan and China. This far outweighs any regional growth.

      • nobro25 on 19/07/2023 - 17:13

        Probably a Tash Peterson supporter as well.

    • CalmLemons on 18/07/2023 - 21:18

      The issue is the government does not have the resources to maintain infrastructure and provide basics services if we keep on building out. It means more roads, schools and hospitals and the people to go with and that is expensive, if the people are available at all.

    • Sinnerator on 19/07/2023 - 07:34
      +1

      But that would require imposing rules (and even Australian law) on immigrants.
      I am totally with you on that tho.

      • CowFrogHorse on 25/07/2023 - 20:57

        Sports have rules, governments only have laws.

    • 2esc on 19/07/2023 - 09:56
      +1

      Please dont expand into our regional areas. We live here and put up with the disadvantages of rural living to avoid the traffic, overcrowding, rudeness etc etc. As it is now good valuable farming land is being built on. We have a lot of land but the fertility of that land varies greatly.

      • helpme on 19/07/2023 - 20:26

        agreed

    • helpme on 19/07/2023 - 20:25
      +1

      City living is the most efficient and environmentally friendly method of living. We shouldn't be expanding but becoming more dense in the areas that are already in use. Secondly, everyone expanding into regional will cause more traffic and make things worse for the people already living there, losing the regional appeal.

    • CowFrogHorse on 20/07/2023 - 19:03
      +1

      What exactly is the prize for filling up Australia with MORE people ?

      If MORE people is such a prize why dont you have 50 families living in every home in your street ?

      Is it really a prize to have 10x the kids at all schools, so basically nobody can move and nobody can play cricket or netball or anything because the ground is full ?

  • Nugs on 18/07/2023 - 10:23
    +19

    what's another $5b over budget?
    .

      • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 10:33
        +36

        Will you paise Dan now for cancelling the games to avoid further debt?

        • jv on 18/07/2023 - 10:53
          +1

          to avoid further debt?

          How much has he wasted already?

          How much is he paying to cancel the contract?

          • S2 on 18/07/2023 - 10:53
            +15

            @jv: Less than $7 billion and $2.6 billion.

            • pharkurnell on 18/07/2023 - 10:56
              +4

              @S2: Exactly… Who gives a shit how much it costs to cancel

              and chances are it would end up being lots more than 7 billion anyway

              • jv on 18/07/2023 - 11:49
                +17

                @pharkurnell:

                Who gives a shit how much it costs to cancel

                The people paying for it would care.

                Why did he sign the contract in the first place?
                Pretty much everyone questioned the value of it and whether we could afford it at the time…

                It is just more Victorian tax payer money down the drain by this government.

                • pharkurnell on 18/07/2023 - 11:57
                  +12

                  @jv:

                  The people paying for it would care.

                  They are happier they aren't paying $2.6-7 billion for a 12 day "event".

                  • dowhatuwant2 on 19/07/2023 - 11:24

                    @pharkurnell: But how much are they paying for an event that shouldn't have been approved in the first place that is now being cancelled?\

                    Games like these aren't profitable for the host state but they do at least make some of the money back, agreeing to host and then cancelling has a cost involved for zero gain and is pure incompetence. You act like he should be getting praise for cancelling an event that he greenlit in the first place.

                    • pharkurnell on 19/07/2023 - 13:01
                      +2

                      @dowhatuwant2:

                      You act like he should be getting praise for cancelling an event that he greenlit in the first place.

                      Like him or not, he should… Takes balls to make a decision like this… Dont get me wrong, I dont like nor trust the bloke - then again I dont trust ANY politician.

                      What option did he have??

                      Run the games with the money they don't have? Send Vic into a deeper black hole than we are already in…

                      or take money from Roads/Health/etc to pay for the games that nobody gives a shit about?

                      • dowhatuwant2 on 19/07/2023 - 13:39
                        +4

                        @pharkurnell: I mean if you give him praise for cancelling it you have to give him greater ridicule for approving it in the first place. If someone else had greenlit it you could just give him pure praise for cancelling a (profanity), but in this case it's his (profanity) in the first place.

                        Why don't you think to question why they ever approved it, how can you be such a blind shill about this shit?

                        • pharkurnell on 19/07/2023 - 14:56

                          @dowhatuwant2: I'm blind LMAO

                          So you still haven't answered it… What option did he have?

                          Didn't think so.

                          • dowhatuwant2 on 19/07/2023 - 14:58
                            +1

                            @pharkurnell: He had the option of not approving it in the firstplace… did you not see me asking you why you're not questioning the approval? must be blind af as well as biased.

                            • pharkurnell on 19/07/2023 - 15:49
                              +1

                              @dowhatuwant2: Yes he did have the option at 2 billion.

                              So once it was approved at the original 2 billion - the cost exploded… at that stage, what choice did he have? Run with the games for 2 billion and have a lemming games?

                              For the original costing it may have been good value… in the current climate, and with so many people struggling to exist - for 3 or more billion cancelling it was the right and smart decision wasn't it?

                              Who ever did the original costings has a lot to answer for.

                              • dowhatuwant2 on 19/07/2023 - 16:03
                                +1

                                @pharkurnell: 2 billion was already too much if they were broke as he described, stop defending his bullshit. He was in charge of the decision and the original costing, he's where the buck stops ffs, he's the one with a lot to answer for you clown.

                      • Mozzmanau on 19/07/2023 - 23:42
                        +1

                        @pharkurnell: We're going to be $300 billion in debt because of this clown, how can you even start to defend anything he says or does? The 7 billion figures is BS. Even the commonwealth games committee said so. I can't believe after all the lies he's spun over the years you're still believing him.

              • Protractor on 18/07/2023 - 15:27

                @pharkurnell: Yep, when it comes to mining and govt depts /projects the contractors milk it dry. "On time on budget" is the fastest moving goalpost on earth. No-one remembers what it looks like

            • Mozzmanau on 19/07/2023 - 23:38

              @S2: The $7 billion is a fictitious figure Dan came up with and you clowns so keep falling for his lies. No wonder Victoria is doomed. Wait till all the companies leave because of all the extra taxes and levies he's putting on business. Victoria will be a ghost town. .

        • meowsers on 18/07/2023 - 14:15
          +4

          lol the only reason he agreed to them in the first place was to buy the votes of regional voters

        • Sinnerator on 19/07/2023 - 07:37

          what is the math on how much tourist revenue hosting the games will bring in?

        • Mozzmanau on 19/07/2023 - 23:35

          Um he's still going to spend $2.billion on the facilities and it will cost us at least $1 billion to cancel the contract. QLD were going to do the same thing years ago and found that's what it was going to cost them$1 billion back then so they decided to go ahead. Imagine what it will cost now. It will be more than $1 billion im sure. So now we will be spending the same amount of money but no commonwealth games. When will you stop praising Dan for throwing away billions and costing us $10 million a day on repayments?

      • JimmyF on 18/07/2023 - 10:45
        +11

        Put Victoria into so much debt that we have not choice but to sell every asset we own to China…

        Wrong gov party for selling the states assets……

      • yewman on 19/07/2023 - 21:46

        They hated jv because the told them the truth

        • jv on 19/07/2023 - 21:52
          +1

          Amen…

    • sane on 18/07/2023 - 11:48
      +15

      Which companies and individuals had their snouts in the trough to push the price from $2.6bn to $6-7bn ?

      Given the price blowout of Snowy Hydro and the Metro Tunnel Project as well, it seems like Oz industry sees government money as a bottomless pit, or they are just that incompetent.

      • drprox on 18/07/2023 - 14:43
        +1

        Vic gov money is a bottomless pit though…

      • xdigger on 18/07/2023 - 21:55

        We should import cheaper tradies from overseas to build up Australia infrastructure and solve the housing and building crisis, do the games for $500 million. We are already importing nurses doctors and fruitpickers from developing countries anyway.

        • Juice-Wa on 21/07/2023 - 07:46
          +2

          All you have to do is get rid of the Union and you can actually put reasonable expectations on workers. Kill the CFMEU and you increase productivity, that simple. But Government contracts (especially those that come from Labor) come with stipulations and expectations that work is completed by union members.

      • chami on 19/07/2023 - 07:37

        Snowy Hydro has a 100-year design life, not 12 days..

      • Sinnerator on 19/07/2023 - 07:39

        for profit companies and money = they are not incompetent, they know exactly what they are doing every step of the way, sucking out more tax payer dollars

    • askbargain on 18/07/2023 - 10:31
      +30

      Sounds like you might need to do some research

    • pharkurnell on 18/07/2023 - 10:36
      +12

      How utterly incompetent is Dan

      Usually yes.. This time, he is spot on.

      Did he not know what the cost was?

      Obviously not what he was originally told it would cost. It isnt hard.. theres lots in the articles around the webs on it already
      But everything any Gov Co in AU touches blows out….

      • jv on 18/07/2023 - 10:49
        +11

        Obviously not

        Then why would anyone in their right mind sign a contract.

        Also, how much is it going to cost us to cancel the contract. Dan knows, but won't tell us.

        Why shouldn't we know how much of our money has been wasted on this.

        • pharkurnell on 18/07/2023 - 10:52
          +20

          He was told one figure, and as per normal with Gov Co events/dealings AU wide, they blow out.

          Honestly have you never seen that before in every single state in the country?**

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