Arabic version: إلغاء دورة ألعاب الكومنولث 2026 في فيكتوريا يترك مشاريع غير مكتملة
The cancellation of Victoria’s 2026 Commonwealth Games has left unfinished infrastructure projects and unanswered questions in regional cities promised a lasting legacy. Communities in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, and Gippsland are still waiting for the promised benefits, including low-cost housing and upgraded facilities.
According to ABC News, local leaders and residents are watching closely to see when, or if, the promised projects and long-term benefits will be delivered. The volunteers at the Morwell Gun Club in Victoria’s east should be getting ready to host some of the world’s best shooters. But instead, the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games means that the range sits empty. The Morwell Gun Club was scheduled to host clay target shooting at the Games, which were to begin today. Club secretary Ken Balcombe has mixed feelings. Mr Balcombe said he was pleased the club had received its promised upgrades, but was disappointed at losing the exposure the event would have brought to the Gippsland region.
While only three of the 17 sporting upgrades promised across regional Victoria have been delivered, 13 are underway. In Bendigo, bowls facilities are also being upgraded as part of the legacy projects. Bendigo Bowls Club president Geoff Briggs said while the Games’ cancellation was initially upsetting, the club’s upgrades will leave them in a stronger position.
Back in 2023, when the state government scrapped the Commonwealth Games, it blamed significant cost blow-outs for abandoning plans to host the event across regional Victoria. After initially budgeting $2.6 billion for the Games, then-premier Daniel Andrews said skyrocketing costs would make it at least $6 billion to host them. Instead, he announced a $2 billion spending package for regional Victoria to deliver promised sporting upgrades. This includes a $1 billion Regional Housing Fund to build 1,300 homes in the regions.
Despite the setbacks, Victorian Housing Minister Harriet Shing said the government was working to deliver the housing and sporting projects linked to the Commonwealth Games at the same time. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Games will still take place in 2026, with 2014 host Glasgow in Scotland set to deliver a scaled-back event from July 23 to August 2 this year. Local leaders, including Geelong City Council Mayor Stretch Kontelj, expressed the need to maximize the potential of the remaining legacy projects, emphasizing the importance of moving forward despite the challenges.
