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A senior Victorian public servant was told not to tell his minister about the potential collapse of the Commonwealth Games \u2013 even though it was his responsibility to keep her informed.<\/p>\n
Since the cancellation, the focus has been on who knew what and when, given now-Premier Jacinta Allan and Housing Minister Harriet Shing had spruiked the doomed regional event in parliament just a month before it was abandoned in July.<\/p>\n
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Victorian secretary of the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions Tim Ada (right).<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AAP<\/cite><\/p>\n Speaking at an estimates hearing on Thursday, Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR) secretary Tim Ada was pressed on why he never told Shing \u2013 who was minister for Games legacy at the time \u2013 that lawyers had been called in to provide advice about withdrawing from the 2026 event.<\/p>\n Ada, who learned about the developments on June 19, said Victoria\u2019s top public servant, Jeremi Moule, had instructed him that this would be handled by a senior member of the government.<\/p>\n When asked if the topic of cancelling the Games had come up between June 19 and 22 \u2013 when Shing says she was eventually told \u2013 Ada said: \u201cCertainly not.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I was told very clearly by the secretary of the Department of Premier [and Cabinet] that that wasn\u2019t something I was allowed to divulge,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI was told at the time that Ms Shing would be told … that wasn\u2019t something that I was required to do.<\/p>\n \u201cI was advised in strict confidence, and advised that Minister Shing would be told by a member of the government.\u201d<\/p>\n Nationals MP Danny O\u2019Brien asked Ada if it was normal practice that the secretary of a department would not be allowed to brief their minister on a topic related to their portfolio.<\/p>\n \u201cUsual practice, Mr O\u2019Brien, is that secretaries are required to advise ministers of matters \u2026 that is certainly the approach I take to this role,\u201d Ada said.<\/p>\n Harriet Shing, the former minister for Commonwealth Games legacy, during an inquiry into the Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games in October.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AAP<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cI also take it quite seriously when the head of the public service talks to me about matters such as this one.\u201d<\/p>\n Ada agreed with O\u2019Brien when asked if the decision had put him in a difficult position because the standards of public service required him to keep his minister informed.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s certainly the approach I\u2019ve brought to this role over the last eight months,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Ada also agreed that he\u2019d been put between two competing bosses, referencing Moule and Shing.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s how I felt at the time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n On June 14, then-premier Daniel Andrews and Allan \u2013 who was minister for the Commonwealth Games at the time \u2013 were aware that law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler would be engaged that day. But Shing \u2013 despite having ministerial responsibility for some aspects of the Games \u2013 was not updated on the development until eight days later, on June 22.<\/p>\n A spokeswoman from the Department of Premier and Cabinet confirmed that Moule had instructed Ada to wait for Andrews or his office to inform Shing.<\/p>\n \u201cThe secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet spoke with his counterpart at the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions to inform them that DPC had been asked to provide advice to the government on the full range of options in relation to the future of the Commonwealth Games, which included seeking external legal advice,\u201d the spokeswoman said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe secretary of DPC was advised (and as such told the Secretary of DJSIR) that ministers would be informed by the former premier or his office and that Mr Ada should allow that to occur.\u201d<\/p>\n However, a parliamentary inquiry into the cancellation of the Games earlier heard that Allan was the one who eventually informed Shing, not Andrews or his office.<\/p>\n Opposition spokesman for tourism, sport and events Sam Groth said the premier needed to face the Games inquiry herself.<\/p>\n \u201cJacinta Allan must explain why a senior public servant needed to keep the engagement of lawyers to cancel the Commonwealth Games a secret from his minister,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Allan, as a member of the lower house, cannot be compelled to give evidence to the upper house inquiry.<\/p>\n The Victorian government cancelled the event on July 18, claiming costs had escalated from the budgeted $2.6 billion to up to $7 billion, but it will still proceed with $2 billion in Games-related legacy projects and support for regional areas.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n