Peter Gutwein has confirmed that Tasmania's bid to host or co-host the 2026 Commonwealth Games has fallen flat with Victoria now in the box seat for the major event.
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Gutwein met with Commonwealth Games Australia, who earlier this week indicated Victoria would be sole Australian bid for the Games, to discuss other avenues Tasmania could pursue to support the games.
"I met with Commonwealth Games Australia this morning and they are now in an exclusive arrangement with Victoria with finalising a bid," he said.
""That will need to go forward obviously in around April I think it is in terms of whether or not Victoria might be successful and the games be hosted in Australia."
Tasmanian Labor had slammed the bid for the Commonwealth Games as a distraction.
"Frankly, the fact that Mr Gutwein thought he could distract Tasmanians into believing he was launching a serious Commonwealth Games bid was ridiculous," Labor sports spokesperson Josh Willie said.
"The Premier gave no thought to the most basic details like where would we accommodate thousands of athletes and spectators? Where could he possibly hold an opening and closing ceremony of any size?"
"There was never a serious bid for the Commonwealth Games."
The bid had been supported by several of Tasmania's previous Commonwealth Games representatives, including Jake Birtwhistle, Rebecca Van Asch and Stewart McSweyn.
After aiming to co-host or host the Commonwealth Games, the state's role now looks set to be reduced to a possible training camp facility.
"We spoke this morning about what the opportunities might be for Tasmania should the games land in Victoria and obviously there are training camps," Gutwein said.
"We will remain engaged, but again, they're working exclusively now with Victoria."
The 2026 Commonwealth Games had been set for Birmingham until the English city covered the loss of Durban as the 2022 host city.
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