WA opposition leader lashed for wanting to cash in on Aussie athletics success with Commonwealth Games bid following the collapse of the Melbourne Games

Western Australia’s Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas is under fire after renewing his push for Perth to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

Zempilas, buoyed by a wave of national athletic success, urged the state government to launch a late bid despite missing the official deadline in March.

His suggestion was swiftly dismissed by Premier Roger Cook and Acting Sports Minister John Carey, who labelled it a ‘thought bubble’ and a ‘brain fart.’

‘Perth may never be in a position to host an Olympics, yet this would have given us all of the excitement for a fraction of the cost,’ Zempilas told Channel 7.

‘We should be on the phone and saying ‘here’s what we are prepared to pay.’

However, Premier Cook was quick to shut the idea down, saying the Commonwealth Games would not deliver long-term economic benefits.

Western Australia ‘s Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas is making a second push for the Commonwealth Games

His call comes after the Melbourne Commonwealth Games collapsed under financial pressure

‘It’s a two week festival of sport which requires many billions of dollars of investment,’ Mr Cook said at a press conference.

‘I’m yet to see anything in relation to the numbers around the Commonwealth Games which suggest the return on the investment justifies the expense.’

Mr Carey echoed the sentiment, questioning the financial burden on taxpayers.

‘Do WA taxpayers want to spend more than $2billion, which is half of the health infrastructure budget, on one event in WA?’ he said.

‘Our government is saying that this is a brain fart, a thought bubble, it’s bonkers. Let’s focus on the things that matter to West Australians.’

‘Basil is always after the headline, the quick grab, but he doesn’t think about the implications for WA taxpayers,’ he said.

The push comes during a resurgence in Australian athletics, with the 2025 National Championships in Perth drawing strong crowds and global attention.

Seventeen-year-old Gout Gout stunned audiences by running the men’s 200m in 19.84 seconds, assisted by a +2.2 m/s wind.

Australian athletics has been on show in Perth this week, led by teen sprint champ Gout Gout

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While the wind invalidated the run for record purposes, it placed Gout as the second-fastest U20 athlete in history under all conditions.

He was awarded the prestigious Betty Cuthbert Medal for the most outstanding performance of the championships.

Peter Bol also delivered, setting a new Australian record in the 800m with a time of 1:43.79.

Lachie Kennedy, who was disqualified for a false start, showed class by congratulating Gout at the finish line.

Jessica Milat clocked a personal best of 22.75 seconds in the women’s 200m, while Abbey Caldwell won the women’s 800m.

Nicola Olyslagers cleared 2.01 metres to secure the high jump title, continuing her dominant form.

Liam Adcock won the long jump with a wind-assisted leap of 8.14 metres.

Sixteen-year-old Lucas Chis set a new U18 championship record in the 1500m, confirming the sport’s bright future.

Dan Andrews was premier when the Melbourne Games costs blew out from $2.6billion to over $7billion

The excitement in athletics was cited by Zempilas as a reason to capitalise on the current momentum.

But critics argue the Commonwealth Games model is outdated, expensive, and increasingly hard to justify.

The collapse of the 2026 Melbourne Games only adds fuel to the fire.

Initially planned as a regional showcase across Victoria, the Games were scrapped after costs blew out from $2.6billion to over $7billion.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) was blindsided, receiving just eight hours’ notice before Victoria pulled the plug.

The fallout included political backlash, regional disappointment, and international embarrassment.

Taxpayers were left fuming over wasted millions, while athletes mourned the loss of a home-soil competition.

Gold Coast and Perth had both declined to step in due to budget constraints, leaving the CGF scrambling.

Eventually, Alberta, Canada, agreed to host a scaled-down version of the Games in 2026.

Calls for reform to the Commonwealth Games model intensified amid growing financial and public scepticism.

Mr Carey said WA should learn from Victoria’s costly misstep and prioritise essential infrastructure.

‘We only have to look at the cost in other states to realise that for a one-off event at a time when there are construction challenges, the money is better spent on health and housing.’

He defended the state’s investments in other sporting ventures, such as international soccer, UFC, and a new racetrack, as part of broader election promises.

‘The magnitude of this cost in comparison to everything else you have mentioned is extraordinary,’ Mr Carey said.

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