You cannot see hundreds of documents linked to the Bendigo Showgrounds because they were prepared for one of Victoria's most powerful groups of politicians.
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Development Victoria has denied the Bendigo Advertiser access to 655 pages of material shedding light on decision-making for what would have been a major 2026 Commonwealth Games venue, if the event had not been dumped last July.
The pages were part of a freedom of Information (FOI) request the Advertiser had hoped to compare with the compensation plans host cities are getting now the two-week sporting spectacular has been canned.
That would have included the Showgrounds, where the government has now confirmed it wants to build a new but uncosted multipurpose pavilion, a refreshed outdoor arena, better security fencing and upgrades to all four entrances.
Single 37-page document released unredacted
Development Victoria released one 37 page document completely unredacted.
The already-public Country plan was adopted by Indigenous group DJAARA in 2014 and was being used by Games planners to shape thinking on Aboriginal involvement.
The agency also released 22 heavily redacted papers linked to plans for building works and tenders.
Pages could spark 'unhelpful public debate'
Development Victoria kept Showgrounds documents secret for a variety of reasons.
A total of 583 were off limits because they were prepared for some of the state's most powerful politicians to deliberate over in cabinet meetings.
Three-hundred-and-forty-nine of the documents of those papers also contained potentially sensitive information about private companies or other groups, Development Victoria said.
The agency said those groups opposed the release of sensitive information.
"The tender process, by its very nature, is highly confidential," Development Victoria said.
Another 43 pages were off limits because Development Victoria deemed them draft documents, "hold opinions", advice or recommendations used for the agency's own internal deliberations.
The government never signed off on those positions, Development Victoria said.
"It is considered that the release of these unapproved plans would be contrary to the public interest by contributing to unhelpful public debate about what may have been delivered, rather than what will," the agency said.
Other pages were withheld because they contained timetables that "may create unreasonable expectations and unhelpful commentary" if compared to any replacement plans, Development Victoria said.
People still in the dark, Bendigo-based MP says
The Advertiser contacted Bendigo government MPs Jacinta Allan and Maree Edwards to gauge their thinking on any reforms needed around cabinet documents and FOI requests.
A spokesperson said the government had delivered a strong freedom of information system.
"We drove significant changes to the FOI Act in 2017, establishing the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner with more investigative powers than its predecessor and introduced faster response timeframes for all FOI applications," they said.
The government is awaiting the findings of a parliamentary inquiry that has been exploring potential charges to the FOI Act.
So is opposition member Gaelle Broad, the Bendigo-based Nationals member for Northern Victoria.
She did not want to pre-empt any inquiry findings but was disappointed to hear the Advertiser's FOI request had turned up so little information.
"You [The Advertiser] are trying to shine some light on what's been happening but we are still in the dark," Ms Broad said.
"I've met with [Games] stakeholders in the 18 months since I was elected and they feel like they have been kept in the dark the whole time."
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
