Victoria is a step closer to hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games after the state government entered exclusive negotiations with the games' governing body.
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Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday confirmed the state's bid to be host, saying the games would drive investment in Victoria's infrastructure and tourism sectors.
"This exclusivity speaks to the fact that we're the sporting capital of our nation," Mr Andrews said.
"We have all that is needed to make an event like this a fantastic success for us and everybody right across the Commonwealth."
Mr Andrews noted that if Victoria's bid was successful, the 2026 games would shift away from Melbourne and instead be set in the regions.
"It's something new, it's something unique, it's something very special," he said. "Regional Victoria will be better off for this."
Regional Cities Victoria chair Kim O'Keeffe agreed, saying the regions were primed to host major events.
"The Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006 was a great success," she said.
"A Victorian Commonwealth Games in 2026 that is hosted across the state would truly be an event to remember."
Ballarat Mayor Daniel Moloney said years of investing in the region's sporting facilities placed the city in a good position to host the games.
Greater Bendigo Mayor Andrea Metcalf said her city also had the infrastructure to host sports like tennis, basketball, and volleyball.
Cr Metcalf said that sharing the hosting duties would allow all of regional Victoria to benefit economically.
But while regional councils have welcomed the announcement, advocacy group Save Victorian Events said the 2026 games would do little to help the state's struggling events sector.
"While the promise of work for some in four years' time is welcome, there finally needs to be some focus on helping our industry get through the year ahead and to rebuild," the group said in a statement.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein was also disappointed after finding out about Victoria's exclusive bid through the media.
Mr Gutwein last week wrote to Commonwealth Games Australia requesting his state be considered as host.
Tasmania recently hosted the fifth men's Ashes cricket Test and was given two elimination AFL finals last season due to mainland COVID-19 restrictions.
"I was a little disappointed in the way Commonwealth Games Australia dealt with this," Mr Gutwein said.
"The first I heard that they were exclusively dealing with Victoria was through the media."
But Mr Gutwein said Tasmania's bid was still on the table.
"I've been very strongly of the view that we could co-host a number of sports," he said.
"I make no apologies for being aspirational.
"We are as good as anywhere in this country and anywhere on this planet."
Asked about the Tasmanian bid, Mr Andrews said he would not comment on other states.
"I'm here talking about our state and our plans and our vision to bring perhaps the biggest event ever to regional Victoria," he said.
Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy supported the hosting bid but said the Andrews government needed to ensure it was not "flippant" with Victorians' money.
"These things come at taxpayers' cost and we need to manage these things responsibly," Mr Guy said.
The Commonwealth Games Federation will assess Victoria's submission before naming the host for the 2026 games.
The games last came to Victoria in 2006, when Melbourne played host.
Australian Associated Press
