GOLDOC in backflip on business woe probe

GOLDOC has backtracked on a post-mortem of Commonwealth Games business failures – despite an assurance from Games bosses.

GOLDOC CEO Mark Peters yesterday said a review into the impact on trade needed to take place, before compensation for businesses was to be considered.

“We need to look at what actually happened and whether 11 days actually caused issues or didn’t cause issues,” Mr Peters said on ABC radio.

Mr Peters went on to say Gold Coast City Council would be reviewing business impacts and the Get Set program as part of a report due in August.

“The question is did that scare too many people, together with media outlets talking about disaster – you can’t know that,” Mr Peters said.

“How that panned out, what the feedback is, I guess we will find out, in the city’s review of the Get Set program.”

However, just hours later GOLDOC and the Gold Coast Council confirmed the report was not a review into Games impacts on business or compensation.

Instead reports into Games programs will be produced for the Commonwealth Games Federation, as part of the standard “close out” documentation.

Mirage restaurateur Carlo Percuoco from Fellini who threatened a class-action suit over the Games business downturn said he wasn’t surprised by the backflip.

“What is the point of a report from them anyway, it is all going to be lies,” he said.