Elections - Page 9

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Re: State Elections

Reply #120 – July 18, 2023, 10:45:32 pm

Im confused with the costings of the Commonwealth games.....Dan says it will now cost 7 billion yet the previous CG in 2022 were about 1.5 Billion and the estimated cost for 2026 was originally 2.6 Billion by the Labor Government.
Its not like Victoria is part of a 3rd world country with no infrastructure.....even allowing for cost over runs where is the extra 4.4 Billion being spent?

Re: State Elections

Reply #121 – July 19, 2023, 01:56:25 am

When you earn almost half a million dollars per year including benefits, you have the right to do what you want. The people elected you into power. I am sure many country leaders are not this well looked after. Just curious why you would commit to a temporary velodrome in Ballarat or Bendigo that would be destroyed after or dismantled completely after the games and spend 60 million plus in the process. We have already equipped velodrome facility at international credited grade available for use closer to the city capital. Has some of the budget to facilities and infrastructure been wasted budget spending? There is far more to this story and we won’t be holding another Commonwealth Games for many years to come. This is cancelling of a contract. Which always has costs you never recuperate. That never sits well with future bids for games if you execute the action the government has taken up. It will be interesting to see further news on this story. It will be a talking point in the media for quite some time. Strangely I heard in the media and it might not be complete fact, that if the federal government was approached by state governments, they would assist with around 50% of the total costs. This conversation never took place between our state and federal government. Just something I heard. It might not be fact.

Re: State Elections

Reply #122 – July 19, 2023, 08:01:24 am

Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on July 18, 2023, 10:45:32 pm

Im confused with the costings of the Commonwealth games.....Dan says it will now cost 7 billion yet the previous CG in 2022 were about 1.5 Billion and the estimated cost for 2026 was originally 2.6 Billion by the Labor Government.
Its not like Victoria is part of a 3rd world country with no infrastructure.....even allowing for cost over runs where is the extra 4.4 Billion being spent?

Actually, the more relevant previous games was Brisbane 2018 that cost about $2B, but that was before COVID, it was an unrealistically low estimate that the games could be done for the same price post COVID.

btw., $1.5B (£778M) for Birmingham is most likely a highly dodgy figure, it's asserted that opportunistically they buried a lot of the costs related to operations in special COVID related budgets to make things look rosy!

Personally, I think it's a good thing, the games have become too fat with bureaucracy and management fees, much like the Olympics and Soccer, the $ have become crazy for what is fundamentally a big athletics meet.

People say it's the end of the games, but the sports will continue, the profiteering won't!

Re: State Elections

Reply #123 – July 19, 2023, 08:05:02 am

We sit here reading and discussing $B in waste or excess, and we couldn't get a few $M to build a decent stand and underground carpark at our home ground to turn it into a boutique match centre, a venue that would have guaranteed utility, yet CheatsFC and Bulldogs get $Ms and $Ms for venues that go unused outside of training.

Handbaggers must be laughing all the way to the bank as well, ground fully upgraded with one reason being it was under the guise of use as a regional venue for Commonwealth sport. Games gone, venue free to the Handbaggers, how good is Cook?

Our turn!

Re: State Elections

Reply #124 – July 19, 2023, 08:52:37 am

Something about this just doesn't seem to gel.
There's a bit of skullduggery afoot methinks.

Is the gap between the cost of going ahead and staging them and the cost of still building the venues and contract responsibilities and penalties that huge?
Staging them v not staging them=How much?

In the short term, if you were an organisation looking to stage a major championship, Victoria wouldn't be high on your list of venues and that may be the case for some time.

Re: State Elections

Reply #125 – July 19, 2023, 10:33:31 am

Quote from: Lods – on July 19, 2023, 08:52:37 am

Something about this just doesn't seem to gel.
There's a bit of skullduggery afoot methinks.

Agreed, I think there is stuff happening from both sides of this debate that we do not know about.

The tell for me is that other states SA, NSW and WA that already have infrastructure have also said "No way José", normally it is a hot pot of political competition to attract this type of event, something smells rotten.

To me it's probably a case of too many pigs at the trough on both sides of the fence, and somebody has decided enough is enough. As I mentioned earlier there is a history of alleged dodgy dealings. In particular we might eventually find a litany of alleged kickbacks and graft that we were oblivious to back when we put up our hand for the games.

I think it's pretty predictable and convenient to just blame the politicians, the politicians have to be far more transparent and accountable than any of the other behind the scenes entities.

Also, there are other things that might now be attracting budgetary scrutiny, like what is happening in the Ukraine, and how that affects not just our economy but those of the other competitors. Are the politicians banking cash just in case things go from bad to worse, it would be a wise move.

Re: State Elections

Reply #126 – July 19, 2023, 01:12:44 pm

Quote from: LP – on July 19, 2023, 08:05:02 am

We sit here reading and discussing $B in waste or excess, and we couldn't get a few $M to build a decent stand and underground carpark at our home ground to turn it into a boutique match centre, a venue that would have guaranteed utility, yet CheatsFC and Bulldogs get $Ms and $Ms for venues that go unused outside of training.

Handbaggers must be laughing all the way to the bank as well, ground fully upgraded with one reason being it was under the guise of use as a regional venue for Commonwealth sport. Games gone, venue free to the Handbaggers, how good is Cook?

Our turn!

Unfortunately, unlike Arden Street and Cheats FC's grounds, ours is located within a major parklands precinct minutes from the city in Greeny Heaven. The locals poo poo'ed the plans Pigs Arse had to redevelop the stadium in an instant. Personally If I lived next door to the ground, I'm far from being a Greeny but I wouldnt be too keen on the constant traffic and noise associated with footy and other events either.

Re: State Elections

Reply #127 – July 19, 2023, 01:17:01 pm

Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on July 18, 2023, 10:32:30 pm

https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/victoria-s-mystery-75b-spending-fund-20230525-p5dbb0

I'll declare I'm not a huge fan of Labour governments and whilst I was supportive of Andrews during the difficult and uncertain Covid period, no matter how you slice and dice it, his Governments spending and management of large infrastructure project budgets has been and continues to be abhorrent.

Re: State Elections

Reply #128 – July 19, 2023, 04:05:38 pm

Quote from: Gointocarlton – on July 19, 2023, 01:17:01 pm

I'll declare I'm not a huge fan of Labour governments and whilst I was supportive of Andrews during the difficult and uncertain Covid period, no matter how you slice and dice it, his Governments spending and management of large infrastructure project budgets has been and continues to be abhorrent.

I hate talking politics or about politicians and in particular dicktator Dan, but this is the thing that gets me the most. This bloke has consistently blown every other infrastructure project in Victoria out by billions so why is he so sensitive about doing it again on the games? I'll admit I really couldn't care less if they go ahead or not but now that they are scraped can we get some of that money to get the bloody train line out to the airport going again??

Re: State Elections

Reply #129 – July 19, 2023, 04:09:04 pm

Quote from: rocky – on July 19, 2023, 04:05:38 pm

I hate talking politics or about politicians and in particular dicktator Dan, but this is the thing that gets me the most. This bloke has consistently blown every other infrastructure project in Victoria out by billions so why is he so sensitive about doing it again on the games? I'll admit I really couldn't care less if they go ahead or not but now that they are scraped can we get some of that money to get the bloody train line out to the airport going again??

Mate don't get me started on the train to the airport, how does it benefit us Victorians? Would you use it? I wouldnt use it in a million years to get to the airport.

Re: State Elections

Reply #130 – July 19, 2023, 04:39:24 pm

Quote from: Gointocarlton – on July 19, 2023, 04:09:04 pm

Mate don't get me started on the train to the airport, how does it benefit us Victorians? Would you use it? I wouldnt use it in a million years to get to the airport.

Oh, really? No, I'm very much for a rail link to the airport guy. Here I am talking politics when I hate doing so. Each to his own, but for me it's embarrassing that a major city like Melbourne doesn't have that in place. Benefits lots of people, fantastic for tourism, reduces congestion etc. etc. Would definitely use it before;
1. Metro Rail tunnel
2. Suburban rail loop (I'll be dead before that's finished though)
3. Westgate Tunnel.
Anyway, as I said each to his own ..

Re: State Elections

Reply #131 – July 19, 2023, 05:00:13 pm

In principle I support a rail link to the airport, but from a practical point of view I would never use it if there was not an upgrade to the current network.

i live about 12ks south of the CBD. If the proposed link is built to the airport I would need to get a taxi to my local station, then get off at Southern Cross to catch a train to the airport, lugging suitcases with me.

It's just more convenient to get a taxi direct from home to the airport, even though the cost would no doubt be higher.

Re: State Elections

Reply #132 – July 19, 2023, 05:49:21 pm

Quote from: Macca37 – on July 19, 2023, 05:00:13 pm

In principle I support a rail link to the airport, but from a practical point of view I would never use it if there was not an upgrade to the current network.

i live about 12ks south of the CBD. If the proposed link is built to the airport I would need to get a taxi to my local station, then get off at Southern Cross to catch a train to the airport, lugging suitcases with me.

It's just more convenient to get a taxi direct from home to the airport, even though the cost would no doubt be higher.

Mrs E and I get the Eastside airport bus, comes to your door and cheaper than cabs or we hit our kids up for a lift..
Wouldnt use the train service either but I appreciate it would provide cheaper direct transport for some and think its a good idea and for a city like Melbourne with increasing population its overdue.

Re: State Elections

Reply #133 – July 19, 2023, 05:56:16 pm

Quote from: Macca37 – on July 19, 2023, 05:00:13 pm

In principle I support a rail link to the airport, but from a practical point of view I would never use it if there was not an upgrade to the current network.

i live about 12ks south of the CBD. If the proposed link is built to the airport I would need to get a taxi to my local station, then get off at Southern Cross to catch a train to the airport, lugging suitcases with me.

It's just more convenient to get a taxi direct from home to the airport, even though the cost would no doubt be higher.

I've been to a few airports and whilst I've made limited use of the rail links I have used them from other cities and they do provide a lot of convenience.

Business and weekend touros are the ones most likely to make use of this infrastructure.

I imagine footy fans from interstate would be just one example of people who would consider coming from interstate to watch their team if there was a rail link.

Re: State Elections

Reply #134 – July 19, 2023, 06:50:52 pm

Quote from: Thryleon – on July 19, 2023, 05:56:16 pm

I've been to a few airports and whilst I've made limited use of the rail links I have used them from other cities and they do provide a lot of convenience.

Business and weekend touros are the ones most likely to make use of this infrastructure.

I imagine footy fans from interstate would be just one example of people who would consider coming from interstate to watch their team if there was a rail link.

Have never used trains in other countries for transfers from airports to hotels, especially on first time visits to countries where you dont know the lay of the land. They are a cess pit for crooks and pick pockets. I prefer to organise pre booked cabs. Dont want to sound like a prat but if I'm affording a holiday trip (international or domestic), a cab fare here and there aint going to save the bank balance. I personally think a rail link at our airport is a total waste of taxpayer money, that's just my view, each to their own.