Perth 2026 Commonwealth Games: This is why we have to go for gold

“Grand final week was the greatest spectacle I’ve ever witnessed”. They’re not my words but those of a Perth-based engineer who reached out to me on social media during the week. I’m not sure if it was our “greatest” spectacle, but it was up there. To the list which includes the America’s Cup, the Giants and the early West Coast Eagles premiership celebrations — add AFL grand final 2021. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we grabbed by the scruff of the neck and made our own. From the Brownlow Medal to this time last week when Melbourne showed off their premiership cup in Forrest Place, Perth basked in grand final glory for a euphoric eight days. It felt good, didn’t it? It still does. So why don’t we do it again? What if I told you we could stage 26 AFL grand finals in 12 days. And we could do it in 2026. By ticket sales, that’s what a Commonwealth Games in Perth would represent — the equivalent of 26 Optus Stadium AFL grand finals, and all of the buzz which comes with them, over 12 dazzling days. Right here. Imagine Peter Bol running the 800m on the track at Optus. How about the boy from Broome Zac Incerti leading off our relay team in the pool at Mt Claremont. Or Madi de Rozario postponing retirement to compete in one of the integrated events in front of her home crowd. A Commonwealth Games in Perth sounds so good. But as quickly as I tossed it up, the Premier knocked it down. A Government statement on the prospect said “our focus needs to be on hospitals and managing COVID. The health of West Australians needs to be the priority as we deal with the Delta variant.” No argument there, but is that the only thing we’re going to do for the next five years? Surely we can do both. The Commonwealth Games we’d be hosting is in 2026. Not tomorrow. And we are going to open up eventually and when we do, we’re going to need to do it decisively and ambitiously. The traits we’re famous for. The way we built our State. The spirit which defines us. And while we bask in the afterglow of the grand final, it’s worth remembering, that opportunity fell in our lap. The AFL really didn’t have another option. And where else in COVID-free Australia were you going to find a stadium as magnificent as ours? Nowhere. The next opportunity we are going to have to go out and get. And that next opportunity should be the available and achievable 2026 Commonwealth Games. I’ve been to four of them. I’ve seen the profound and positive impact they have on their host city and its people. My dad tells me it’s exactly what happened here when we first had a go in 1962. But back to the Premier: “The State Government is not considering hosting the Commonwealth Games. Early estimates are the cost to WA taxpayers would be well over $1 billion.” Too expensive apparently and in the words of a spokesperson, “we’ve seen of late the iron ore price is extremely volatile and that represents a challenge for the State’s finances”. So does just relying on iron ore prices. What if I told anyone who cares to listen, the Commonwealth Games could actually make us money. And lead to job creation, infrastructure investment, increase Perth’s global standing and drive Western Australian tourism. And, just like I saw in Kuala Lumpur, Manchester, Melbourne and on the Gold Coast, civic pride (think last week) gets a huge shot in the arm while diversity and inclusion gets promoted at the pace and with the weight of a Games behind it. That’s a lot of boxes being ticked, and ticked through a feel-good athletic event that brings the world to our city and puts us in front of an estimated global television audience of 1.5 billion people. Just ask the Gold Coast. But back to our State Government’s principal area of concern, economics — other than saying they think Perth 2026 would cost too much and they’re not sure about iron ore prices, they’re short on detail. Let me help. The 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games is forecast to ultimately result in a $2.5 billion boost to Queensland’s gross state product. That was off the back of $1.7 billion in public (all levels) spending. But spending which delivered a light rail network as well as the Games for the city. It also resulted in 21,000 additional jobs in Queensland over a 10-year period, $725 million in transport infrastructure spending brought forward, a $300 million financial contribution from the Federal Government and 1300 apartments and townhouses built to rent. Then there was the accelerated private sector investment, $2 billion for the transformation of the Star Resort, $1 billion for a new health and knowledge precinct — The Smith Collective, and $670 million for the expansion of Pacific Fair Shopping Centre. Imagine what might happen in Perth. Assuming there is no appetite to use a Commonwealth Games opportunity to construct a light rail network through the city and therefore significantly lowering the spend, Commonwealth Games Australia suggests Perth 2026 would likely cost the State Government around $850 million ($700 million in operating costs and $150 million in capital costs) and would result in: Given our social housing crisis, that last point alone should make people stand up and take notice. I can only imagine how gratefully 1000 new homes and apartments, constructed initially as the Games Village but then transformed into a cornerstone of Perth’s long-term housing solution, would be received by Housing Minister (and Member for Perth) John Carey. Perhaps those less inclined to consider a bid for Perth 2026, should see it less as a sports carnival for 72 nations, 6000 athletes in 19 sports, 300 plus para athletes in eight para-sports, 50 per cent of events for women and which involves 15,000 volunteers and see it more as something truly transformational for our city and our State. The AFL grand final experience has galvanised our community and demonstrated to everyone Perth is a big event city. Let’s think big and be bold, let’s use this momentum and springboard into the next opportunity. Come on Premier, let’s go for gold. We can’t play it safe forever. Perth 2026, it adds up.