Premier Daniel Andrews and Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan must face the music after it was revealed Labor’s Commonwealth Games cancellation will cost Victorians at least $380m, with fears that figure could rise by hundreds of millions more.
While the Premier declared a $380m settlement with Games organisers as “the best outcome Victoria could get’’, there are still additional costs expected to cover organisational and staffing costs – potentially taking the figure to upwards of $600 million.
Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland said the irresponsible spending from Labor was par for the course and are now trying to cover up the true extent of its financial mismanagement.
“In typical form, Labor’s financial mismanagement has left everyday Victorians to foot the bill and the only games being played is with regional Victoria,” Ms Cleeland said.
“The CEO of Commonwealth Games Australia confirmed Labor’s costings of $6 to $7 billion were grossly exaggerated, and we can safely assume it will cost Victorians far more than $380m to bail the Premier and Deputy Premier out of this debacle.
“At the very least, Victorians deserve answers about why Labor has ignored the advice of experts and set them up with a bill for hundreds of millions of dollars – in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.
“This is $380 million that could have been spent on bricks and mortar to address the housing and homelessness crisis sweeping the Euroa electorate.
“A small fraction of this money could genuinely transform major community issues, like improving the shocking standard of our roads, upgrade overcrowded schools and provide more health services.
“Labor continues to break promises because of its own incompetence.
“Victorians continue to be punished by a tired, corrupt and incompetent government.”