Victorian Government Tight-Lipped Over $100 Million Bailout for Tennis Australia

Senior figures in the Victorian state government have refused to explain why a loan of $40 million (US$27 million) to Tennis Australia was forgiven, despite the organisation also receiving a a $63 million “contingency support payment.” A ministerial briefing obtained by the Victorian opposition under Freedom of Information laws reveals that more than $100 million was spent to prop up Tennis Australia during the restrictions imposed due to COVID-19. Treasurer Tim Pallas approved the deal, which included a condition that all unused portions of the $63 million support payment be returned. The decision was supported by the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF), which estimated that the cost of staging the 2022 Australian Open was “$70 million higher” than it otherwise would have been due to the Omicron wave and the 50 percent stadium capacity cap imposed by the government....