Following the Victorian Government’s decision to withdraw from the 2026 Commonwealth Games – which was due to be held across Central Victoria and the Greater Bendigo region – the Dan Andrews Labour government has come to a settlement on the cost of withdrawing from the event with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), Commonwealth Games Federation Partnerships (CGFP) and Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA).
Following the decision, the affected parties have been involved in confidential ‘good-faith’ negotiations.
The Victorian Government has agreed to pay the Commonwealth Games parties (CGF CGFP and CGA) a total of $380 million.
The parties subsequently agreed to refer the dispute to Mediation and appointed former New Zealand Judge, the Honourable Kit Toogood KC and the former Chief Justice of the WA Supreme Court, the Honourable Wayne Martin AC KC as joint mediators.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for the Commonwealth Games, David Southwick, has previously called for an apology from the Andrews government following pulling the pin in Regional Victoria hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
