The final cost of Victoria's decision to abandon the Commonwealth Games is still unknown, with the state government not revealing the cost of tearing up the contract.
A report in The Age has claimed the Queensland government was advised in 2018 they would have to hand over $1 billion if they ducked their commitment to hosting the Gold Coast Games.
And the state government is standing by its funding commitment of $2.6 billion to the regions for infrastructure upgrades.
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Premier Daniel Andrews revealed the shock decision yesterday, claiming the budgeted $2.6 billion cost of hosting the games at a number of regional centres, had blown out to $6 billion and could have reached $7 billion.
"Last year when the Commonwealth Games Authorities approached us, needed someone to step in to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, as a state we were happy to help out," Andrews said.
"But, of course, not at any price and only if there was lasting benefit."
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However, the government's decision has been blasted as "humiliating" by critics.
The Commonwealth Games Federation said $6 billion was "50 per cent more than those advised to the Organising Committee board at its meeting in June".
A statement from the federation has further said the government had increased costs of the plans against its advice.
"Since awarding Victoria the Games, the Government has made decisions to include more sports and an additional regional hub, and changed plans for venues, all of which have added considerable expense, often against the advice of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA)."
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The federation has said it was only given eight hours' notice of the decision and until then had been advised the government had the funds to host the games.
Commonwealth Games Australia chief executive Craig Phillips said his organisation also had not been consulted about the "gross exaggeration" of costs revealed by the government today, claiming he only learned of the decision at 8am.
The cost of the Birmingham Games in 2022 was $1.5 billion, alongside $2 billion for the Gold Coast Games and just $1 billion for the Glasgow Games.
There are fears Victoria's retreat could mean the Games are not held for the first time since WWII, with all other Australian states and territories ruling out a late bid, along with New Zealand.
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