List of recommendations

Recommendation 1

3.69The committee recommends that the Australian Government takes on a facilitation and coordination role in order to salvage the 2026 Commonwealth Games being held in Australia. Before the end of 2023, the Australian Government should:

establish an intergovernmental forum, through National Cabinet or a bespoke mechanism, bringing together representatives from all three levels of government, business associations and community groups, to examine options to salvage the Commonwealth Games;

direct the Departments of Health and Aged Care and Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts to produce low, medium and high funding options for the Australian Government that would enable the Commonwealth Games to be salvaged and hosted in 2026; and

subject to the above, and in coordination with any other relevant stakeholders, including Gold Coast City Council and other local governments, enter into discussions with Commonwealth Games Federation and Commonwealth Games Australia about prospects for hosting the Games, including a reduced or decentralised Games if necessary.

Recommendation 2

3.70If stakeholders cannot agree on an approach to salvage the Games, the committee recommends that the Australian Government develops a policy to address the missed opportunities and impacts from the cancellation of Victoria 2026. The policy, developed in consultation with National Sporting Organisations and National Sporting Organisations for People with Disability, should:

identify which sports and disciplines have been disproportionately impacted by the cancellation, for example those that were relying on 2026 as a pathway to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles (LA 2028) and Brisbane 2032, or which have not yet featured at the Olympics and Paralympics (for example, netball);

enable paralympic athletes to access classification events internationally; and

address a shortfall in infrastructure which will not now be funded.

Recommendation 3

3.71The committee recommends that the Australian Government develops guidelines for future major sporting events which make Commonwealth funding, regulatory, policy and operational support conditional on state and territory governments being required to notify the Australian Government well in advance of cancelling, or making major changes to, a major sporting event for which hosting rights have been awarded.

Recommendation 4

3.72The committee recommends that the Australian Government encourages the Victorian Government to prioritise the delivery of its $2 billion alternative rural and regional funding package, including by publicly releasing full details on where funding will be allocated, what projects it will be allocated to, and accountable timeframes for delivery.

Recommendation 5

4.93The committee recommends the Australian Government works with the Queensland Government, affected communities and Olympics Games organising bodies to urgently review the decision to host Athletics events at the Gabba stadium and the associated plans to demolish the East Brisbane State School and temporarily remove community access to Raymond Park. The review should consider the feasibility of alternative options, including using existing infrastructure, and work to find a solution that is acceptable to these communities.

Recommendation 6

4.94If the result of a review of the Gabba stadium decision still requires the demolition of the East Brisbane School, the Queensland Government should work with the local community to build a new school in closer proximity to the existing school than the proposed Coorparoo school.

Recommendation 7

4.95The committee recommends the Australian Government works through an intergovernmental forum, such as National Cabinet, to explore the most cost‑effective solution for hosting the canoe slalom events at the Brisbane 2032 Games. If it is feasible to host the events at the Penrith Whitewater Centre in New South Wales, including with refurbishments, this option should be prioritised over building a new facility.