A bold new Australian plan could save the 2026 Commonwealth Games with a unique solution.
While Victoria walked away from the games with former Premier Daniel Andrews blaming cost blow outs of up to $4 billion to cancel the games.
However, arguably more tellingly, there has been no solution emerge in the meantime with not only the 2026 edition of the event but the entire future of the Games under the microscope after Alberta, Canada withdrew support for the 2030 event as well.
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A parliamentary inquiry found last week heard that a meeting of the nation’s sports ministers declined to discuss the future of the Commonwealth Games.
Officials confirmed there was no interest from any other state to take on the Games.
And the former chair of the Victorian bid, former Richmond Football Club president Peggy O’Neal feared for the future of the event because of exploding costs and big countries don’t “see any benefit of continuing to do this”.
But while the future of the Commonwealth Games appears to be bleak, Australia’s richest person, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, has proposed a bold two-city bid with the Gold Coast and Perth in a letter to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, which was also signed by Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate and Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas.
It comes after a Gold Coast-only Comm Games was ruled out over a $700m price tag after the city held the event in 2018.
The letter says that the Victorian government’s decision to cancel the 2026 games was “disappointing” and “a huge blow to Australia’s reputation and to our athletes”.
“Australia is meant to be viewed as a successful G20 nation, that we can’t organise and fund a Commonwealth Games undermines that reputation,” the letter continues.
“As you know, the history of the Commonwealth Games – which is made up of over 70 nations and territories – is a source of immense pride for many around the world. And an important opportunity to invite commonwealth heads to Australia.”
The letter said the Games were important for both able-bodied and Para athletes, while the Gold Coast and Perth both have “world-class pre-existing facilities and warm hospitality”.
It continues that the Games would “inject capital into the national and local economies with “improved infrastructure, increased tourism and much needed business flow on”, as well as opportunities to host world leaders from across the Commonwealth to improve relations.
It added that it could be a “real live run through for the Olympics” in Brisbane in 2032.
“We believe that saving the Commonwealth Games via a dual city approach would be popular and in the national interest, and would not only bring huge benefits to our athletes and cities, but also lasting advantages to our nation,” the letter finishes.
“We believe it would be a far more popular decision than the recently announced $600 million for Papua New Guinea football, and not as expensive.
“Perhaps some of that expenditure could be redirected to improve Australian facilities for the Commonwealth Games and later Olympic Games in Queensland?”
Gold Coast mayor Tate told The Courier Mail that he believed the proposal could save the event.
“I’m encouraged that Gina Rinehart is strongly backing a dual-city proposal that will not only save the games but will help recover Australia’s tarnished reputation across the Commonwealth,” he said.
“Victoria contractually committed to the 2026 Games and to me, a handshake should be as a good as a signature.
“Right now, we have a real opportunity to restore our country’s reputations and to provide a clear sporting pathway for our athletes, including our incredible para-athletes.”
But it’s not all gone down well with 3AW’s Tom Elliott calling the proposal “absolute madness”.
“You could not pick two cities in Australia that are further apart from each other — over 4000km,” Elliott said.
“The Victorian Commonwealth Games, which were going to be in four or five regional parts of Victoria, that was never going to work because the events were too far away from each other. It was just never going to work and that’s why the government abandoned them even though it was the government’s idea.
“To have a Commonwealth Games split between the Gold Coast and Perth, I just think is utter madness.
“The idea is that they do the first week of events on the Gold Coast and the second week in Perth. But think about it — unless every official and volunteer moves between the Gold Coast and Perth — and where would you put them all, they effectively have to recruit all the people again just to make the Games run.
“You’ve got to build two athletes villages. It’s just such a dumb idea.
“I think we need to accept, as sad as this is, that the era of the Commonwealth Games is over. Not that many people watch it, not that many countries compete in it, it doesn’t make any money — that’s the reason cities don’t want to host it.”
