2018 Commonwealth Games

The Herald reports:

Auckland’s prospects of bidding to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games have come under threat from the Government’s cost-cutting.

Minister for Economic Development Gerry Brownlee has withdrawn $500,000 earmarked by the previous Government for a study into whether Auckland could stage the event in nine years.

Thank God. Hosting the Games is the best way to lose tens of millions of dollars.

In a letter to the New Zealand Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Economic Development’s industry and regional development deputy secretary, Mark Steel, said the money promised by Labour had been conditional on city councils agreeing to put in money.

“After due consideration, and now that it is clear most cities that were initially approached will not be participating, the minister has indicated he is not convinced that the case has been established for allocating government resources,” said Mr Steel in the letter.

That tells you something if you don’t even have the local bodies on board.