Mike Hosking: Why is NZ still looking at the Commonwealth Games?

With Alberta gone on the back of Victoria pulling out, why is it we are still committed to looking at hosting the Commonwealth Games?

It strikes me that there are two arguments around events.

Peter Williams: The Games are over

An idea whose time has passed

Dan Andrews has done us a favour.

He’s put the Commonwealth Games out of their misery, not just the 2026 edition, but most likely forever. The concept of a group of countries, most of them once bound by the apron strings of Empire, coming together every four years for a second rate, mostly irrelevant and increasingly woke sports festival is an idea whose time has passed .

I like to think I know what I’m talking about with the Commonwealth Games. I’ve broadcast from seven of them, the first over forty years ago when they were almost relevant.

John MacDonald: Let's aspire for more than just the Comm Games

Hand on heart, I have never heard anyone say they'd love to go to the Commonwealth Games one day.

The Rugby World Cup? Heard heaps of people say they'd love to go to that. Football World Cup? Who wouldn’t love to go to that? The Olympics? Absolutely. Wimbledon? A grand prix somewhere? Yes, yes, yes to all of the above.

But I have never had someone look me in the eye and say: “Now John, if I only get to do one thing in my life, it would have to be the Commonwealth Games. I want to be there for every bowls game, John. I want to be there to watch our team walk out onto the green and just smash it. I’ll mortgage the house if I have to.”

Point of Order: Cyclone Gabrielle cops the blame as Robertson comments on latest CPI figures....

.....while his colleagues announce more spending

The inflation story from the Beehive has changed. Whereas global price pressures were being blamed a year ago, the culprit now is Cyclone Gabrielle.

The consumers price index increased 6.7 per cent in the 12 months to March 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. That’s an improvement on the 7.2 per cent increase in the 12 months to December 2022.

But inflation is still at levels not seen since the 1990s, Stats NZ consumer prices senior manager Nicola Growden said.