Premier Daniel Andrews appears set to shirk invitations to face separate inquiries into Victoria’s cancellation of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
A federal inquiry, reopened to investigate the state government decision to pull out of hosting the event, will travel to Victoria within weeks to hold hearings.
Committee chair and Nationals senator Matt Canavan wrote to Mr Andrews and former Games delivery minister Jacinta Allan to request their appearance, but the invitation has not been accepted.
“It’s a lost opportunity that premier Andrews and minister Allan are refusing to subject themselves to the scrutiny of the Senate,” committee member and Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said.
“We can’t force them to appear. That’s why the chair wrote to (Mr Andrews) seeking his agreement and to facilitate him being able to be up front and honest with the Australian people.”
The premier’s office has been contacted for comment.
Senator McKenzie said the Senate committee, initially launched to look at Australia’s preparedness to host the 2032 Olympics and 2026 Games, would call Commonwealth Games Federation president Dame Louise Martin and chief executive Katie Sadleir to give evidence.
Other requested witnesses include department heads, contractors and marketing agencies, along with consultancy firms Ernst & Young and Deloitte.
Senator McKenzie said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and federal sports minister Anika Wells had been missing in action since Victoria reneged on hosting the Games over a reported cost estimate blowout from $2.6 billion to between $6 billion to $7 billion.
“This is not the Victorian government’s reputation that’s been decimated, it is Australia’s reputation,” she said.
“And it is up to Anthony Albanese and Anika Wells to take leadership, to facilitate an Australian solution to hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games.”
Mr Andrews and Ms Allan are also under pressure to face a state-based parliamentary inquiry after the upper house on Wednesday voted to establish the probe.
Without powers to compel lower house MPs to publicly give evidence, Labor’s upper house leader Jaclyn Symes said she would not encourage Mr Andrews or Ms Allan to appear.
“This is an upper house inquiry,” she said.
“If they (the opposition) wanted to hear from lower house members, they could’ve come to us and considered another forum.”
Fellow minister Danny Pearson labelled the cross-party select committee a political stunt.
Ms Allan would not confirm whether she would accept an invitation to appear, saying it would be disrespectful to cut across the inquiry’s business.
“Let’s wait and see,” she said.
Opposition Leader John Pesutto said Mr Andrews and Ms Allan failing to appear would show contempt for the public, while he rejected the suggestion another forum should have been chosen to seek answers.
“The only reason they’re refusing to … is because they’ve got so much to hide,” he said.
Victoria’s auditor-general has also confirmed his office will follow up an opposition referral to examine the Games withdrawal.
