3 days Ago By Kate Christian
The WA government has described a call by Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas for Perth to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games as a "brain fart". On Thursday the state's daily newspaper reported Mr Zempilas had called on the government to launch a late bid to host the games. It comes amid an exciting time for WA athletics, after Gout Gout, Lachlan Kennedy, Jessica Hull and Peter Bol drew huge crowds over the weekend at the Australian Athletics Championships, which was held in Perth.
Mr Zempilas was unavailable to be quizzed about the idea on ABC Radio Perth by Nadia Mitsoplolous, who instead put the proposal to Acting Sports Minister John Carey. "Do WA taxpayers want to spend more than $2 billion, which is half of the health infrastructure budget, on one event in WA? Mr Carey said. "Basil is always after the headline, the quick grab, but he doesn’t think about the implications for WA taxpayers.
" WA sprinter Gout Gout has renewed the state's interest in athletics. It is not the first time Basil Zempilas has spruiked the idea after previously pushing for Perth to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games when Victoria pulled out due to cost blowouts. Priorities wrong: Carey Mr Carey said it was reasonable to predict that hosting the event would cost the state "billions" because it was initially budgeted to cost the Victorian government $2.
6 billion, before "massive over-runs" led the event being relocated to Glasgow. Acting Sports Minister John Carey has dismissed the idea as a "thought bubble" and a "brain fart". "We only have to look at the cost in other states to realise that for a one- off event at a time when there are construction challenges, that the money is better spent on health and housing when we are talking about that kind of amount.
" Just a few days out from the WA election, the potential construction of a $217 million motorsport track and entertainment precinct has some locals up in arms and demanding change at the ballot box. Mr Carey defended his government's decision to spend taxpayers' money on UFC, international soccer games and a controversial race track at Burswood, . "The magnitude of this cost in comparison to everything else you have mentioned is extraordinary," Mr Carey said.
"I respect there are people who do not support [the racetrack] but this was an early election commitment. "People had an opportunity to reject that proposal as part of the overall government mandate." Seven Commonwealth nations and territories have expressed interest in hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2030 or 2034.
India, Nigeria and Canada have already gone public with their goal to host the event in 2030, while New Zealand is one of two nations interested in hosting the 2034 event..
