Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (13:20): I would like to rise as a member of the select committee into the Commonwealth Games debacle and thank all the committee and staff for doing an outstanding job and my colleagues for their very fulsome participation but also the submitters and the witnesses. Indeed we travelled to regional Victoria, as we should have, because this hoax was to be placed in the space of regional Victoria. It was conspired no doubt in the minds of the former Premier and the current Premier as well, Jacinta Allan. It was aided and abetted by the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, the Treasurer and others. It was supposed to be ‘an ambitious model’. What it did was rip the heart and soul out of country Victoria. People were built up. They were told that this was going to happen. The expectation was built, and what did this government do? It trashed regional Victoria, and it trashed it to the extent of $185 million – and there is $200 million going over to Glasgow. The business case was not worth the paper it was written on. There were people shut out from making comment on the business case, who provided insight and examples as to how this would or would not work. And we see all these commitments; we see these legacy projects that are supposed to be in the future. It is just normal spending, and it is probably on the never-never. Let me just read one quote from a lady who felt that her whole existence in this area and her commitment to the English team were just trashed. When the announcement came the English team said:
‘Well, we’d never trust an Aussie again’ – not a Victorian, an Aussie. It damaged the country as well as Victoria … ‘Well, you guys, your handshake’s not worth anything.’
There was widespread condemnation, and this government stuffed it up. It was a hoax and a con games.
