After 15 months of hype, projected glory and excitement for athletes around the world, Premier Andrews flanked by Deputy Jacinta Allan and the Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing  announced that due to cost blow outs Victoria was pulling the plug on the Commonwealth Games.

They had got the sums wrong by over 300% and Andrews said that Victoria could no longer see any benefit in going on with it.  Many sought to sheet the blame home to the Monarchy, somehow equating the death of Queen Elizabeth with a loss of any need for athletic endeavour in the anglophone world.  Apparently the AFL Grand Final will go ahead in Victoria though.

Country centres throughout Victoria were in shock as the first regional Games would have benefitted many regional cities like Ballarat, Shepparton and Geelong.  But a lot of infrastructure was still going ahead according to Ballarat Mayor Des Hudson OAM

Image: Image: Shutterstock – Nils Versemann

Produced By: Roderick Chambers

Featured In Story: Toby Hemmings – ABC Regional Producer and Ballarat resident

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 19 July 2023