1 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,760 S1: The Victorian government made headlines for all the wrong reasons 2 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,560 S1: in 2023, when it pulled out of hosting the Commonwealth 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,040 S1: Games on the grounds that it was too expensive. Now 4 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,800 S1: the games are on in Glasgow, with many locals barely 5 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:25,040 S1: registering that it's even taking place in their city. According 6 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:29,200 S1: to our reporter on the ground, I'm Samantha Selinger Morris, 7 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,040 S1: and you're listening to The Morning Edition from The Age 8 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:36,519 S1: and The Sydney Morning Herald today. Senior sports writer Michael 9 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,880 S1: Gleeson on whether the competition, which started in 1930 as 10 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,200 S1: a means for the colonies to unite and honour the monarchy, 11 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:55,400 S1: is on its last legs. It's July the 29th. Welcome, Michael, 12 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:56,320 S1: to the podcast. 13 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,040 S2: Thanks very much for having me. All the way from Scotland. 14 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:01,800 S1: Exactly. Well, we can't wait to get stuck into this 15 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,150 S1: with you because I think I might be like many listeners. 16 00:01:04,190 --> 00:01:06,789 S1: You know, I'm not a massive follower of the Commonwealth Games. 17 00:01:07,110 --> 00:01:10,789 S1: I don't actually know so much about why it matters. 18 00:01:11,110 --> 00:01:13,310 S1: But now you are in Glasgow and like you've said, 19 00:01:13,310 --> 00:01:15,950 S1: you're there for the games. And it's been widely reported 20 00:01:15,950 --> 00:01:19,070 S1: that this has been severely stripped back. Right. Less sports, 21 00:01:19,110 --> 00:01:21,709 S1: fewer athletes. So talk to us, I guess, a bit 22 00:01:21,709 --> 00:01:23,990 S1: about why this matters and why has it been stripped 23 00:01:23,990 --> 00:01:24,830 S1: back this year? 24 00:01:25,470 --> 00:01:27,590 S2: Well, it matters to Australia because we win a lot. 25 00:01:27,790 --> 00:01:30,069 S2: So we like to we like a sport. We like 26 00:01:30,110 --> 00:01:33,910 S2: a competition where we dominate. And certainly that's true here. 27 00:01:34,190 --> 00:01:37,949 S2: The Commonwealth Games are one of the few multi-sport carnivals 28 00:01:37,950 --> 00:01:40,830 S2: like an Olympics, and they were always a mini Olympics, 29 00:01:41,110 --> 00:01:45,429 S2: but they just became too too expensive. Now this games 30 00:01:46,150 --> 00:01:50,750 S2: is particularly interesting because the games look like they were 31 00:01:50,750 --> 00:01:54,270 S2: dead after Victoria pulled the pin on hosting them. 32 00:01:54,630 --> 00:01:59,470 S3: The games will not proceed in Victoria in 2026. 33 00:02:00,830 --> 00:02:02,510 S2: With what was always a folly. 34 00:02:02,750 --> 00:02:06,230 S3: Frankly, 6 to $7 billion for a 12 day sporting event. 35 00:02:06,230 --> 00:02:07,270 S3: We are not doing that. 36 00:02:08,510 --> 00:02:11,269 S2: It was a crazy idea to have a rural games, 37 00:02:11,310 --> 00:02:15,950 S2: a country games in Victoria that you just it was 38 00:02:15,950 --> 00:02:18,190 S2: inconceivable that it would go ahead to anyone that had 39 00:02:18,230 --> 00:02:20,590 S2: actually been to a games and seen the size of them, 40 00:02:20,630 --> 00:02:24,070 S2: seen the infrastructure. Needed to think that you would have a. 41 00:02:24,110 --> 00:02:27,669 S2: Games in Victoria in only rural areas was was crazy. 42 00:02:28,350 --> 00:02:32,830 S2: So in the breach Glasgow jumped in. They said, well, 43 00:02:32,830 --> 00:02:36,750 S2: we'll do it. But you know, being here now and 44 00:02:36,750 --> 00:02:41,550 S2: having been here for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which were fantastic, 45 00:02:41,750 --> 00:02:44,709 S2: they built the city up, they polished the city up. 46 00:02:44,910 --> 00:02:48,869 S2: It was looking schmick, it looked fantastic. Everyone bought in. 47 00:02:48,870 --> 00:02:52,109 S2: It was a full Commonwealth Games. There was bus services, 48 00:02:52,350 --> 00:02:55,350 S2: heaps of tourists here. The whole city was buzzing with 49 00:02:55,350 --> 00:02:58,990 S2: it here. Now it's a bit like being told at 50 00:02:58,990 --> 00:03:00,870 S2: the last minute that you're the one that of your 51 00:03:00,870 --> 00:03:03,310 S2: friends that's got to host the dinner party and you say, 52 00:03:03,310 --> 00:03:05,859 S2: all right, well, well, you you bring all the. You 53 00:03:05,860 --> 00:03:09,460 S2: all bring the food and. And don't bring your kids 54 00:03:09,460 --> 00:03:11,740 S2: because you know, I'm sick of them. And there's too 55 00:03:11,740 --> 00:03:14,660 S2: many of them. And and, and I've got to work 56 00:03:14,660 --> 00:03:16,780 S2: in the morning. So you're all going to leave early. 57 00:03:17,060 --> 00:03:19,700 S2: And honestly, they're holding their nose through it. That's how 58 00:03:19,700 --> 00:03:20,380 S2: it feels. 59 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:22,700 S1: Okay, so a bit of a political question here, because 60 00:03:22,740 --> 00:03:25,500 S1: obviously Scotland has had a bit of a separatist movement 61 00:03:25,500 --> 00:03:29,260 S1: from the Empire. So is part of it a sort 62 00:03:29,260 --> 00:03:32,019 S1: of British Empire vibes, like a bit on the nose 63 00:03:32,020 --> 00:03:34,019 S1: there is that part of the reason why perhaps the. 64 00:03:34,020 --> 00:03:34,460 S2: Scottish. 65 00:03:34,460 --> 00:03:35,100 S1: Are a little bit. 66 00:03:35,140 --> 00:03:39,260 S2: No, I don't think it is because like, actually the 67 00:03:39,260 --> 00:03:42,460 S2: last time the games were on here was in 2014, 68 00:03:42,660 --> 00:03:45,380 S2: and it was right at the time of the referendum, 69 00:03:45,380 --> 00:03:48,820 S2: which they then voted to remain within the, you know, 70 00:03:48,860 --> 00:03:51,140 S2: the UK. So I don't think it's that. I think 71 00:03:51,140 --> 00:03:54,460 S2: it's just this was foisted on them. They've agreed to 72 00:03:54,500 --> 00:03:57,140 S2: have it. And so it's really interesting. I think that they've, 73 00:03:57,260 --> 00:03:59,980 S2: I think the whole Commonwealth Games concept here fumbled it 74 00:03:59,980 --> 00:04:04,660 S2: a bit because they, they thought that this would salvage 75 00:04:04,660 --> 00:04:07,890 S2: something from the games that was going to die. So 76 00:04:07,890 --> 00:04:10,530 S2: they just said, whatever form you can put it on, 77 00:04:10,530 --> 00:04:13,330 S2: we don't want a mini Olympics. Just do it. So 78 00:04:13,330 --> 00:04:16,409 S2: there's a winnowed back number of sports. There's obviously swimming 79 00:04:16,410 --> 00:04:18,170 S2: and there's athletics. They're the two big ones. But then 80 00:04:18,170 --> 00:04:21,370 S2: they've got you know um they've got gymnastics and weightlifting and, 81 00:04:21,370 --> 00:04:25,130 S2: and bowls, indoor bowls, but there's no road races, there's 82 00:04:25,130 --> 00:04:28,770 S2: no marathon, there's no, you know, there will be cycling, 83 00:04:28,770 --> 00:04:32,330 S2: but there's no, um, you know, other key sports, like 84 00:04:32,370 --> 00:04:36,570 S2: there's no, there's no hockey massive in India, there's no 85 00:04:36,970 --> 00:04:39,650 S2: rugby sevens, which is big throughout all the, all the 86 00:04:39,650 --> 00:04:43,850 S2: other Pacific countries and, and, and the rest of the Commonwealth, 87 00:04:43,970 --> 00:04:45,850 S2: you know, there's no rowing, which is really big in 88 00:04:45,850 --> 00:04:48,730 S2: the UK. They didn't have those because they're team sports 89 00:04:48,930 --> 00:04:50,529 S2: that you would have had to bring in much bigger 90 00:04:50,529 --> 00:04:53,409 S2: teams for much more infrastructure. You would have had more 91 00:04:53,450 --> 00:04:56,730 S2: venues required. They didn't have it. Now, why I say 92 00:04:56,730 --> 00:04:59,090 S2: that was a mistake is because at the time they 93 00:04:59,089 --> 00:05:02,490 S2: made those decisions, they didn't have anyone else putting their 94 00:05:02,490 --> 00:05:05,810 S2: hand up to have any more Commonwealth Games. They couldn't 95 00:05:05,810 --> 00:05:08,969 S2: find any other venue other than Perth, I think wanted 96 00:05:08,970 --> 00:05:12,409 S2: to hold this one. Um they didn't have another city 97 00:05:12,450 --> 00:05:15,770 S2: saying we'll we'll fill the breach, let alone do the 98 00:05:15,770 --> 00:05:18,650 S2: one in a few years time. Since then though India 99 00:05:18,650 --> 00:05:21,410 S2: has said we will we will take the next games 100 00:05:21,410 --> 00:05:24,290 S2: in four years time because India wants to bid for 101 00:05:24,290 --> 00:05:28,409 S2: the 2036 Olympics, and they want to show the world 102 00:05:28,410 --> 00:05:32,090 S2: and the IOC that they can actually host an event 103 00:05:32,089 --> 00:05:34,810 S2: of this type because they stuffed it up so badly 104 00:05:34,810 --> 00:05:37,890 S2: when they held the Delhi Commonwealth Games that no one 105 00:05:37,890 --> 00:05:40,330 S2: was ever going to send, you know, a major event 106 00:05:40,330 --> 00:05:43,289 S2: there again, because it was just so badly handled. But 107 00:05:43,290 --> 00:05:45,450 S2: on top of that, when they had the games here 108 00:05:45,450 --> 00:05:48,850 S2: last time, the Athletics was on at Hampden Park. It 109 00:05:48,850 --> 00:05:52,450 S2: held 4000 people. They've got it on a track now 110 00:05:52,450 --> 00:05:57,930 S2: in Scotstounhill, which is which holds well really only about 111 00:05:57,930 --> 00:06:02,290 S2: 8000 punters that are getting in. That's tiny and it's 112 00:06:02,290 --> 00:06:05,130 S2: just not as a consequence doesn't have that buzz. And 113 00:06:05,930 --> 00:06:08,370 S2: further to that, it hasn't brought in the tourists the 114 00:06:08,370 --> 00:06:11,120 S2: way another one would when you've got big volumes of 115 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:15,240 S2: sports and you've got lots of teams and things, lots 116 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,360 S2: of things that you can get access to, even free 117 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:19,560 S2: things like, you know, the, the, the walks and the 118 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:22,039 S2: road races and, and that sort of thing. So there's 119 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:23,880 S2: a lot of people you go into, you know, places, 120 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,440 S2: restaurants and bars, and they say, what are you here 121 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,160 S2: for the Commonwealth Games? Oh that's right. That's on. Yeah. 122 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:29,880 S4: And so you mentioned. 123 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,600 S1: There before that Glasgow went into this. Obviously it was 124 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:34,720 S1: a sort of last minute arrangement. And they were not 125 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:36,080 S1: going to look at this as being a bit of 126 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,359 S1: a mini Olympics. But as a layperson, like the Commonwealth 127 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:41,560 S1: Games sort of strikes me as the poor cousin of 128 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:43,880 S1: the Olympics. I don't know if that's fair, but I 129 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,240 S1: guess talk to me about the relevance. Yeah, right. Okay. 130 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:49,000 S1: So talk to me, I guess, about the relevance of 131 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,960 S1: relevance of the Commonwealth Games to the athletes and particular sports. 132 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,720 S1: Is this like an important jumping off point during the 133 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,520 S1: year for our athletes to train for the Olympics? Or 134 00:06:58,520 --> 00:06:59,960 S1: what's what's the relevance here? 135 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:05,479 S2: No. It's huge. Well, the whole multi-sport thing, Carnival is 136 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,360 S2: really important. They really enjoy it. They really do peg 137 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:12,390 S2: themselves for it. I mean, but like we, um, they 138 00:07:12,390 --> 00:07:15,510 S2: also have it in its perspective. Like gout. Gout, the 139 00:07:15,510 --> 00:07:18,670 S2: biggest name in athletics was not going to compete. It 140 00:07:18,710 --> 00:07:20,910 S2: hasn't competed here and wasn't going to compete here because 141 00:07:20,910 --> 00:07:23,990 S2: he planned to compete at the World Juniors, which are 142 00:07:23,990 --> 00:07:27,110 S2: on next week. But look what it does is it 143 00:07:27,110 --> 00:07:31,270 S2: really varies here. So Rose Davies won gold in the 144 00:07:31,270 --> 00:07:36,750 S2: 10,000m in the Athletics. Davies beat two African runners who 145 00:07:36,750 --> 00:07:40,310 S2: were one and two in just one, the African. They 146 00:07:40,310 --> 00:07:42,510 S2: were gold and silver in the African Championships and the 147 00:07:42,550 --> 00:07:46,350 S2: African runners have dominated the 10,000m. No Australian's ever won 148 00:07:46,710 --> 00:07:48,790 S2: and no Australian woman has ever won over that distance 149 00:07:48,790 --> 00:07:51,550 S2: at Commonwealth level. So that's a phenomenal performance. You know, 150 00:07:51,590 --> 00:07:54,070 S2: in the men's 1500, which were the mile. Sorry, which 151 00:07:54,070 --> 00:07:57,670 S2: will be the event of the of the athletics and 152 00:07:57,670 --> 00:08:00,670 S2: probably of the games is you've got Josh Kerr who 153 00:08:00,670 --> 00:08:03,990 S2: just broke the world record for the marathon running against 154 00:08:04,030 --> 00:08:06,830 S2: Cam Myers, who's the who just broke the Australian record 155 00:08:06,830 --> 00:08:09,510 S2: over 1500m. He's only 20. He's the rising star of 156 00:08:09,510 --> 00:08:12,470 S2: the whole sport. Then you've got Jake Wightman who's the reigning, 157 00:08:12,510 --> 00:08:15,270 S2: who's a world champion. So you've got these world champions 158 00:08:15,270 --> 00:08:18,070 S2: and you've got the two chariots um from from Kenya 159 00:08:18,070 --> 00:08:21,390 S2: who are just stars of the sport. It is an 160 00:08:21,390 --> 00:08:24,910 S2: absolute world class field. So it matters because it's also 161 00:08:25,390 --> 00:08:29,030 S2: that sort of championship level running is really different to 162 00:08:29,710 --> 00:08:35,110 S2: even Diamond Leagues or to, to the swimming. And athletes 163 00:08:35,150 --> 00:08:37,429 S2: really like it too, because they know that the public 164 00:08:37,429 --> 00:08:41,750 S2: likes it, particularly in Australia and low profile sports. They 165 00:08:41,750 --> 00:08:44,510 S2: don't get their moment in the sun. They're squeezed of 166 00:08:44,510 --> 00:08:48,230 S2: oxygen by, you know, both football, all the football codes. 167 00:08:48,230 --> 00:08:51,830 S2: And you know, they get their little windows every, you know, 168 00:08:51,910 --> 00:08:54,390 S2: every 2 or 4 years, well, every two years because 169 00:08:54,390 --> 00:08:56,630 S2: you get an Olympics and then a Commonwealth Games in between. 170 00:08:56,630 --> 00:08:58,469 S2: You have the worlds and that sort of thing. But 171 00:08:58,470 --> 00:09:01,510 S2: because they don't get that moment, that's their chance to 172 00:09:01,550 --> 00:09:04,710 S2: really be on, be on telly, be become a public, 173 00:09:04,750 --> 00:09:06,430 S2: you know, um, a household name. 174 00:09:07,950 --> 00:09:08,870 S5: After the break. 175 00:09:09,030 --> 00:09:11,190 S2: In the scale of things that Victoria has wasted money 176 00:09:11,190 --> 00:09:13,620 S2: on from the big build and the corruption in that. 177 00:09:13,660 --> 00:09:15,740 S2: All right. You know, this just adds to the list. 178 00:09:15,740 --> 00:09:18,140 S2: People have almost forgotten that they'd committed this and wasted 179 00:09:18,140 --> 00:09:18,820 S2: the money on it. 180 00:09:25,620 --> 00:09:28,220 S1: Tell us, I guess, a bit about how expensive these 181 00:09:28,220 --> 00:09:31,220 S1: games are, because obviously it made huge news here that 182 00:09:31,220 --> 00:09:34,860 S1: the Victorian state government had announced in January 2022 it 183 00:09:34,860 --> 00:09:38,699 S1: was in serious consideration to host the games. And then, 184 00:09:38,740 --> 00:09:41,700 S1: you know, a month later, Premier of Victoria at the time, 185 00:09:41,700 --> 00:09:44,420 S1: Daniel Andrews, confirmed that, you know, he was in exclusive 186 00:09:44,420 --> 00:09:48,179 S1: negotiations to host this. And then, of course, next year, 187 00:09:48,300 --> 00:09:51,220 S1: state government pulls out saying it's way too expensive. So 188 00:09:51,420 --> 00:09:52,740 S1: how expensive are they? 189 00:09:53,700 --> 00:09:56,300 S2: Oh, look, I wish I knew. I wish I could 190 00:09:56,300 --> 00:09:59,420 S2: answer that accurately because the Victorian government was just making 191 00:09:59,420 --> 00:10:01,459 S2: numbers up on the fly at the time. It's going 192 00:10:01,460 --> 00:10:03,540 S2: to cost $6 billion. Did I say six? I might 193 00:10:03,540 --> 00:10:05,940 S2: have meant seven. Seven. Maybe it was. 194 00:10:05,940 --> 00:10:09,660 S3: Eight. In fact, at least $6 billion and could be 195 00:10:09,660 --> 00:10:13,380 S3: as high as $7 billion. And I cannot stand here 196 00:10:13,380 --> 00:10:15,740 S3: and say to you that I have any confidence that 197 00:10:15,740 --> 00:10:20,980 S3: that even $7 billion number would appropriately and adequately fund 198 00:10:21,020 --> 00:10:24,819 S3: these games. I think it could be more than that. 199 00:10:25,620 --> 00:10:28,220 S3: There's a whole range of reasons for that. And today's 200 00:10:28,220 --> 00:10:28,900 S3: not about. 201 00:10:30,620 --> 00:10:32,620 S2: There is no doubt, to put them on at the 202 00:10:32,620 --> 00:10:35,700 S2: scale they wanted in Victoria. It was going to be 203 00:10:35,700 --> 00:10:40,059 S2: super expensive, but that's also because they chose this stupid 204 00:10:40,059 --> 00:10:43,420 S2: idea to think that they could host them all in 205 00:10:43,420 --> 00:10:48,739 S2: regional centres and not utilize existing infrastructure and not utilise 206 00:10:48,740 --> 00:10:52,900 S2: the MCG. And you know that that was completely unnecessary 207 00:10:52,900 --> 00:10:56,580 S2: and silly. And to think that smaller towns had the 208 00:10:56,580 --> 00:11:02,540 S2: capacity to host athletes and get the volunteers they want 209 00:11:02,580 --> 00:11:04,540 S2: and think that they were going to bring in tourists 210 00:11:04,540 --> 00:11:07,059 S2: and have places for them to stay, and not just 211 00:11:07,220 --> 00:11:08,900 S2: be commuting back and forth on the train. And staying 212 00:11:08,900 --> 00:11:12,420 S2: in Melbourne anyway, was was ridiculous. And anyone that had 213 00:11:12,420 --> 00:11:14,420 S2: been to any of the Commonwealth or Olympic Games before 214 00:11:14,460 --> 00:11:17,610 S2: that would knew that immediately and thought, this just isn't 215 00:11:17,610 --> 00:11:20,330 S2: going to happen. And eventually the government gets to the 216 00:11:20,330 --> 00:11:23,850 S2: point where of realization themselves. Now, they could have they 217 00:11:23,850 --> 00:11:26,370 S2: could have changed all of that. They could have still 218 00:11:26,370 --> 00:11:30,090 S2: with the Victorian government said, you know what? We overestimated 219 00:11:30,210 --> 00:11:31,970 S2: rather than just pull the pin on the whole thing. 220 00:11:32,450 --> 00:11:34,770 S2: We're going to host it, but it's going to be 221 00:11:34,770 --> 00:11:36,490 S2: in you know, we are going to use Victoria, we 222 00:11:36,490 --> 00:11:38,050 S2: are going to use Melbourne, we are going to use Geelong. 223 00:11:38,050 --> 00:11:39,970 S2: We're going to use the pool we have there. And 224 00:11:40,690 --> 00:11:43,689 S2: they could have done a much scaled back version, but 225 00:11:43,690 --> 00:11:45,770 S2: they basically just said, you know, we're out. 226 00:11:46,530 --> 00:11:49,090 S1: And we have seen reporting, though that this the total 227 00:11:49,090 --> 00:11:55,449 S1: cost of the games is over $589 million. So I guess, 228 00:11:55,809 --> 00:11:58,490 S1: is it worth the cost? I mean, how much anger 229 00:11:58,490 --> 00:12:01,090 S1: is there, I guess perhaps in Victoria that the taxpayers 230 00:12:01,090 --> 00:12:04,410 S1: are on the hook for this money, even though Victoria didn't, 231 00:12:04,450 --> 00:12:07,130 S1: of course, end up hosting it, get the get whatever 232 00:12:07,130 --> 00:12:09,610 S1: tourists they might have got from it. What can you 233 00:12:09,610 --> 00:12:10,610 S1: tell us about that, Michael? 234 00:12:11,610 --> 00:12:13,730 S2: Oh, look, in the scale of things that Victoria has 235 00:12:13,770 --> 00:12:16,010 S2: wasted money on from the big build and the corruption 236 00:12:16,010 --> 00:12:18,520 S2: in that I don't you know, this just adds to 237 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:20,720 S2: the list. People have almost forgotten that they'd committed this 238 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:25,480 S2: and wasted the money on it. It was, you know, like, 239 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,080 S2: I don't want to be, you know, be Pollyanna about it. 240 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:33,520 S2: But it's just. When you look at how that could 241 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,560 S2: have still been scaled back to a better version than this. 242 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:38,960 S2: And when you looked at the fact that it was 243 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:41,720 S2: just never going to be what they thought it was, 244 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,440 S2: what they were selling it to be, it's ridiculous to 245 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:46,320 S2: think that it was it was conceived of in the 246 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:46,920 S2: first place. 247 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:50,560 S1: And when, of course, Victoria did finally announce that it 248 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,600 S1: was pulling out of hosting the Commonwealth Games, the Commonwealth 249 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:57,560 S1: Games Authority certainly expressed some disappointment. You know, they said 250 00:12:57,559 --> 00:12:59,760 S1: that they were only given eight hours notice. I mean, 251 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:01,240 S1: they were they were a bit filthy about it. It 252 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,120 S1: sounded like from their announcement. So I guess let's just 253 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,199 S1: talk about the reduction of the number of sports from 254 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,240 S1: 20 in 20 22 to 10 this year. Is this 255 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:13,120 S1: Victoria's fault? Did the government kill the games, Michael? 256 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:16,560 S2: Yeah, well, they nearly killed the entire concept and that's. 257 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:19,320 S2: And the Indians have saved it. And the Scots to 258 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:24,240 S2: that degree as well. Um, certainly the Brits didn't want 259 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:27,079 S2: the concept to fall. And it was they looked at 260 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,760 S2: a whole range of options of sending it back to Birmingham, 261 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:34,920 S2: spreading it between Birmingham, maybe Manchester, possibly Liverpool, you know, 262 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:38,560 S2: having it in the smaller um cities and spreading it 263 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:42,360 S2: through there because they, they didn't want uh England in 264 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:46,200 S2: particular didn't want the concept to go. Glasgow obviously stepped 265 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,600 S2: in and took it on and but they did so 266 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:50,679 S2: on the basis that this isn't going to be costing 267 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:52,760 S2: us money. And that's what they kept selling to their 268 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,800 S2: own people. We'll do it. But it's not going to 269 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,280 S2: cost the Scots like it's going to be funded by 270 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,760 S2: the CGA and by um, basically the Victorian government. 271 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:03,319 S1: And is that is that what. Is that what happened 272 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,440 S1: in the end? The Scots haven't haven't been footing the bill. 273 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,520 S2: Well okay they're saying we're not it's not costing the taxpayers. 274 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:09,960 S2: That's what they keep stressing here. 275 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:10,840 S1: Is that the. 276 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,600 S2: Case? Yeah. Well, to the best of my knowledge it is. Yeah. 277 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:15,400 S6: Okay. Okay. And so. 278 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,160 S1: Michael, just to wrap up, I mean, we know that 279 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,920 S1: the next Commonwealth Games is in India in four years time. 280 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,470 S1: That's locked in. But talk to us, I guess, a 281 00:14:22,470 --> 00:14:24,590 S1: bit about the future of this event. I mean, is 282 00:14:24,590 --> 00:14:27,350 S1: it at risk? Is it going to keep going? I mean, 283 00:14:27,390 --> 00:14:29,470 S1: this is an interesting event in terms of I guess 284 00:14:29,470 --> 00:14:32,670 S1: it's where sport and politics also sort of merge, because 285 00:14:33,070 --> 00:14:37,030 S1: there's an argument that, well, traditional allies have been frayed 286 00:14:37,030 --> 00:14:41,030 S1: under Donald Trump. He's sort of eroded many alliances. So 287 00:14:41,070 --> 00:14:43,550 S1: is there an argument that perhaps the Commonwealth Games are 288 00:14:43,550 --> 00:14:45,990 S1: more important than ever to sort of solidify these ties 289 00:14:45,990 --> 00:14:49,750 S1: between countries that perhaps do see eye to eye more 290 00:14:49,750 --> 00:14:51,150 S1: than not in this time? 291 00:14:52,270 --> 00:14:54,910 S2: Well, the Canadians certainly finally found someone that's friendly to 292 00:14:54,910 --> 00:14:57,350 S2: them again, other than the country that wants to take 293 00:14:57,350 --> 00:15:01,150 S2: them over as another state. So they're very yeah, they're 294 00:15:01,150 --> 00:15:03,750 S2: very proudly wearing their, um, their red and their maple 295 00:15:03,750 --> 00:15:05,870 S2: leaves anywhere they are here to just to say, I 296 00:15:05,870 --> 00:15:07,510 S2: know you can hear my accent, but I'm not one 297 00:15:07,510 --> 00:15:10,190 S2: of those ones that you think I am. I'm a Canadian. Um, 298 00:15:10,550 --> 00:15:13,230 S2: I think that it's a really interesting point you make 299 00:15:13,270 --> 00:15:19,110 S2: about the future of it. I think it's really it's 300 00:15:19,110 --> 00:15:21,980 S2: been saved and a lot of it now is, only 301 00:15:22,020 --> 00:15:25,820 S2: is going to hinge on India and how they handle 302 00:15:25,820 --> 00:15:27,780 S2: it and do and what kind of games they put 303 00:15:27,780 --> 00:15:30,780 S2: on in four years time. But then it's also by 304 00:15:30,780 --> 00:15:36,860 S2: doing this with Glasgow, even though it might not be, 305 00:15:36,900 --> 00:15:38,940 S2: you know, it might not be this again, what they've 306 00:15:38,940 --> 00:15:43,460 S2: at least done is opened the idea that cities can 307 00:15:43,460 --> 00:15:47,060 S2: offer to post it without hosting a mini Olympics. And 308 00:15:47,060 --> 00:15:49,020 S2: they can say, look, we'll host it, but we'll host 309 00:15:49,140 --> 00:15:51,060 S2: these seven sports and there may not be the same 310 00:15:51,060 --> 00:15:53,860 S2: ones every time. You know, it may not be that, uh, well, 311 00:15:53,860 --> 00:15:57,220 S2: you're always going to have athletics and, um, and swimming 312 00:15:57,220 --> 00:15:59,900 S2: because they're just so they're so big in the thing. But, 313 00:15:59,900 --> 00:16:02,380 S2: but you could be changing around, but as the Olympics 314 00:16:02,380 --> 00:16:05,220 S2: has done, they've tried to say, we can't be, we 315 00:16:05,220 --> 00:16:07,820 S2: can't be sort of bankrupting cities by asking them to 316 00:16:07,860 --> 00:16:10,860 S2: host these games. So therefore, we have to be open 317 00:16:10,860 --> 00:16:14,620 S2: to you must utilize existing facilities, as many existing facilities 318 00:16:14,620 --> 00:16:17,060 S2: as you have, as you have, but also have legacy 319 00:16:17,060 --> 00:16:20,700 S2: facilities that if you build something there, therefore you're leaving 320 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:22,580 S2: something behind. And that was the silly thing about what 321 00:16:22,620 --> 00:16:25,460 S2: Victoria did. They were going to build things that then 322 00:16:25,460 --> 00:16:28,260 S2: rip them down again, while they actually had purpose built 323 00:16:28,260 --> 00:16:30,100 S2: facilities that they could have used. 324 00:16:32,300 --> 00:16:34,980 S1: Michael, thank you so much for your time there with 325 00:16:34,980 --> 00:16:36,700 S1: you on the ground in Scotland. 326 00:16:37,540 --> 00:16:41,300 S2: Thank you. Thanks for the interest in the Commonwealth Games because, um, yeah, 327 00:16:41,300 --> 00:16:44,020 S2: it's good fun. I mean they are laughed at as 328 00:16:44,020 --> 00:16:46,700 S2: the school sports but they're better than that. Like as 329 00:16:46,700 --> 00:16:49,460 S2: I said, some of these events are genuine world class 330 00:16:49,660 --> 00:16:52,340 S2: and and they're fun. The games are fun. 331 00:16:58,380 --> 00:17:02,540 S5: Today's episode was produced by Kai Wong. Our executive producer 332 00:17:02,540 --> 00:17:05,660 S5: is Tammy Mills, and our podcasts are overseen by Lisa 333 00:17:05,660 --> 00:17:09,540 S5: Muxworthy and Tom McKendrick. If you like our show, follow 334 00:17:09,540 --> 00:17:12,020 S5: The Morning Edition and leave a review for us on 335 00:17:12,020 --> 00:17:14,900 S5: Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening.