Games snub unlocks cash for regional housing: Andrews

Regional hubs no longer hosting the Commonwealth Games will have to share a $1 billion social housing fund with the rest of Victoria.

The state government on Tuesday revealed it would not host the Games in 2026 blaming forecast cost blowouts, but vowed to proceed with infrastructure upgrades and housing builds connected to the scrapped event.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday said $1 billion to be spent on social and affordable homes would now be spread further than those regional hubs that were to host the Games in Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong and the Latrobe Valley.

“Because we’re delivering more than we had originally planned to as an athlete’s village or legacy, there is additional housing for other parts of regional Victoria,” Mr Andrews told reporters in Maryborough.

The government also announced $150 million to house workers in regions facing housing shortages.

Regional Cities Victoria chair and Bendigo Mayor Angela Metcalf said while the decision to cancel the Games had been disappointing, she was grateful for further certainty on what it would mean for host hubs.

“But we must see a renewed focus on making our regional cities even better places to live and work” Cr Metcalf said.

She also backed government plans to support housing for regional workers.

“A lack of housing stock is keeping regional businesses from attracting the workers they need, and many locals are increasingly being priced out of the market – especially renters,” she said.

Victoria Tourism Industry Council chief executive Felicia Mariani said the worker housing package did not go far enough to support a sector that had been banking on a massive windfall from the Games.

“VTIC is calling for an investment of $80-$100 million in a major game-changing tourism infrastructure fund and $40-$60 million in a regional tourism marketing fund to drive demand in the national and global audiences that these Games were promising to deliver,” Ms Mariani said.

State opposition leader John Pesutto said he was deeply concerned by the “betrayal” of regional Victoria.