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- Victorian officials knew about Games cost blowout months ago
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Russia escalates bombing of Ukraine ports, hits China’s consulate
Mykolaiv/Near Kupiansk, Ukraine: Russia jolted world grain markets with an escalation in the Black Sea, mounting a third straight night of air strikes on Ukrainian ports and issuing a threat against Ukraine-bound vessels to which Kyiv responded in kind.
At least 27 civilians were reported hurt in the air strikes on the ports, which set buildings ablaze and damaged China’s consulate in Odesa.
Emergency service personnel work at the site of a destroyed building after a Russian attack in Odesa, Ukraine.Credit: AP
The United States said Russia’s warning to ships indicated Moscow might attack vessels at sea following Moscow’s withdrawal on Monday from a UN-brokered deal to let Ukraine export grain. The signal that Russia was willing to use force to reimpose its blockade on one of the world’s biggest food exporters set global prices soaring.
Moscow says it will not participate in the year-old grain deal without better terms for its own food and fertiliser sales.
The UN Security Council will meet on Friday over “the humanitarian consequences” of Russia’s withdrawal, said Britain’s UN mission.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.Credit: AP
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Black Sea ports and warned the “destruction of civilian infrastructure may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law”.
“These attacks are also having an impact well beyond Ukraine,” said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, adding higher wheat and corn prices hurt everyone, especially vulnerable people in the global south.
Reuters
Victorian officials knew about Games cost blowout months ago
Commonwealth Games bureaucrats and Victorian Treasury officials knew in April that the estimated cost of running the event had blown out to double the $2.6 billion figure quoted a year earlier by the government’s own bid team.
The Office of the Commonwealth Games, the government department responsible for overseeing the planning and delivery of the now aborted event, submitted a detailed business case and operational plan to Treasury ahead of the May state budget asking for a $5 billion funding allocation to cover the increased costs.
The proposed Games budget included a risk analysis of additional costs likely to come from shortages of labour, materials and accommodation for workers in regional areas which, if realised, could push the total bill to $6 billion.
The Age spoke to sources with knowledge of the proposed Games budget, speaking confidentially to divulge sensitive information.
They revealed the operational cost jumped from $1.3 billion to $1.9 billion and the capital expense of building athlete villages and constructing new and improving existing sports venues had leapt from $1.3 billion to $2.6 billion.
The sources also revealed that the original bid documents contained no financial estimate for the cost of government services – primarily transport and police – required to safely hold the 12-day sporting festival across five regional centres. That resulted in an additional $500 million being lumped onto the overall operational cost, bringing it to $2.4 billion.
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This morning’s headlines at a glance
Good morning, and thanks for your company.
It’s Friday, July 21. I’m Ashleigh McMillan, and I’ll be anchoring our live coverage for the first half of the day.
Here’s what you need to know before we get started:
- Commonwealth Games bureaucrats and Victorian Treasury officials knew in April that the estimated cost of running the event had blown out to double the $2.6 billion figure quoted a year earlier by the government’s own bid team.
- Deloitte could face a repeat of its parliamentary grilling after revelations that a former partner was using Defence documents he obtained while working at the firm as part of his new private business.
- The Matildas have held off Ireland to win their opening FIFA Women’s World Cup match in Sydney last night, despite playing without captain Sam Kerr due to injury.
- Russia has escalated attacks in the Black Sea, mounting a third straight night of air strikes on Ukrainian ports and issuing a threat against Ukraine-bound vessels, to which Kyiv responded in kind.
- Treasurer Jim Chalmers will release Australia’s first wellbeing budget later today, which will canvass everything from life expectancy to the amount of time we spend listening to podcasts.
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