<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>340074</docID> <postdate>2025-03-11 09:45:24</postdate> <headline>Australia rules out bid for 2030 Commonwealth Games</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-340075" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20220808001687898166-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Australia has ruled out making a bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Steve Larkin</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Australia has ruled out bidding to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games but is hell-bent on retaining its superpower status at the sporting event.</strong></p> <p>Glasgow will host a pared-down event next year, salvaging the Games after Victoria reneged as host, citing contentious cost blow-outs.</p> <p>Commonwealth Sport, formerly known as the Commonwealth Games Federation, is seeking expressions of interest in hosting the 2030 edition, but Australia won't bid.</p> <p>"Realistically for us, '30 is not on our radar," Commonwealth Games Australia chief executive Craig Phillips told AAP.</p> <p>"If a government put their hand up and said 'We want to do it', we would certainly talk to them, but we're not really pursuing it.</p> <p>"We haven't been out to governments at all, and we have done that deliberately because we're not sure that really '30 is for us.</p> <p>"We have got Brisbane's '32 Olympics and Paralympics – I just think '30 is difficult timing from that point of view.</p> <p>"Our plan to host '26 was part of our Green and Gold Runway (towards the '32 Olympics) – that wasn't to be.</p> <p>"But we think '30 is just a bit too close when you look at what is required from commercial partners, what is required from various levels of government. It becomes a little bit challenging with an Olympics and Paralympics coming."</p> <p>Phillips said the 2030 Commonwealth Games could be a multi-city or multi-national event.</p> <p>Glasgow's Games next year will feature 10 sports, down from the 19 on the program at the last edition in Birmingham, England, in 2022.</p> <p>Australia topped the medal tally in Birmingham for the 12th time in the 20 editions of the Games dating back to the inaugural event.</p> <p>Since 1994, Australia has led the medal table at all but one Games, in Glasgow in 2014 when England prevailed.</p> <p>But some 82 per cent of Australia's medal events in Birmingham remain on the Glasgow program.</p> <p>Phillips had no hesitation in predicting Australia would again top the medal tallies next year.</p> <p>"We don't shy away from it... we have every expectation that we will," he said.</p> <p>"We don't set a number of medals in particular, but our ambition is to top the gold and overall medal tallies... and medal in as many sports as possible."</p> <p>Phillips forecast between 270 and 300 Australian athletes would compete in Glasgow, with about 30 per cent  contesting para sports.</p> <p>Some Australian officials, including chef de mission Petria Thomas, last week were in Glasgow assessing the city's preparations for a Games partly funded by Victoria's government, which paid $380 million in compensation to the CGF, from which $200 million was directed to Scotland to help cover costs.</p> <p>"They are moving pretty fast," Phillips said of Glasgow organisers.</p> <p>"When Glasgow did step in, we didn't have many concerns about their ability because they obviously hosted the Games very successfully in 2014.</p> <p>"They have made it their business to make Glasgow an events city.</p> <p>"That sort of capability was mobilised very quickly... they have a long way to go still, but we know they're making good strides forward."</p> <p>Organisers have announced changes to the King's baton relay ahead of the Games, with each of the 74 Commonwealth nations to have its own baton.</p> <p>Each baton will carry one word of the King's message, to be revealed at the opening ceremony.</p> <p>"We want to make sure every Commonwealth nation and territory gets to experience the power of the baton coming through their communities, and this is a more cost-effective way of doing it," Phillips said.</p> </body>