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AAP
AAP
Politics
Rachael Ward

'Something to hide': contempt claims over Games docs

Victoria's government is facing more criticism over its handling of the abandoned Games bid. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Victoria's government is facing claims it might be in contempt of parliament for withholding more than 300 documents linked to its abandoned Commonwealth Games bid.

In May about 353 documents were due to be handed over to an upper house committee probe into the 2026 Games.

However, the state government claimed executive privilege applied to all but three of them, an interim report released on Tuesday revealed.

Sarah Mansfield (file image)
Greens upper house leader Sarah Mansfield suggested the Allan government had "something to hide". (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

The report by the Select Committee on the 2026 Commonwealth Games Bid said failure to comply with orders of parliament or its committees to provide documents "may be considered a contempt".

"The government has not provided any of the documents required under the Legislative Council's order of 1 May 2024 and as a result the independent review process cannot be initiated," the report stated.

"This is in direct contravention of the Legislative Council Standing Orders.

"In the committee's view, the government's own self-assessment of executive privilege without independent review is not only a contravention of the Standing Orders but a direct impediment on the committee's ability to conduct a thorough and transparent inquiry."

Committee chair David Limbrick claimed the government had not properly engaged with the executive privilege process and accused it of impeding the probe into the bid.

The government can claim executive privilege over information that could damage the public interest or falls within certain categories.

A spokesperson for the Victorian government said it was more appropriate for the independent auditor-general to examine the bid.

A proposed $2 billion spend on the event was now being pumped into regional housing, they said.

Opposition spokesman Sam Groth said the documents were needed so the committee could understand how decisions about the bid were made, accusing the Allan government of seeking to "hide its incompetence".

Greens upper house leader Sarah Mansfield said it was wrong to deny transparency and accountability over issues in the public interest.

"The sheer volume of things this government are trying to conceal implies they've got something to hide," Dr Mansfield said.

Victoria backed out of hosting the Games across regional cities in July 2023 after former premier Daniel Andrews claimed expected costs had almost doubled to at least $6 billion.

Glasgow is now the likely home of a revised 2026 Commonwealth Games, which the Scottish city claims would be almost entirely funded by some $200 million in compensation Victoria paid out over the cancellation.

A final report into the state's Games bid is due in April 2025.

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