South Australia Govt. brands Commonwealth Games 'B-grade event'
30 Aug 2008, 1721 Hrs

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Melbourne, August 30 (ANI): The South Australian State Government considers the Commonwealth Games to be a "B-grade sporting event", and thus has decided not to bid for it.

Opposition Leader Martin Hamilton-Smith recently said that the Liberals would bid for the 2018 Games if they were elected in 2010.

Sport Minister Michael Wright had not rule out a bid in response to Hamilton-Smith's commitment.

However, Foley has made it clear that the Government will not bid for the event.

"This Government will not be bidding for the 2018 Commonwealth Games," news.com.au quoted Acting Premier Kevin Foley as telling an SA Great lunch.

"There is a lot better ways to spend two billion dollars than on a bunch of sporting stadiums that will offer us a B-grade sporting event, for 10 days, when Australia can beat itself in the swimming pool," he said.

"I am not going to see this state with the two billion dollars of expenditure on sporting stadiums when the most pressing need for our state is economic infrastructure, social infrastructure, to underpin a significant economic boom in this state which will put enormous pressure on housing, education, hospitals, road and rail infrastructure," he added. (ANI)