Bath blasts 'diabolical' MotoGP loss in parliament

NATIONALS Eastern Victoria MP Melina Bath has used Victorian parliament to demand an urgent meeting between the Premier, the Major Events Minister and Bass Coast stakeholders after the loss of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix to Adelaide.

Ms Bath raised the matter in the Legislative Council's adjournment debate on Thursday, describing the government's handling of the event as "bungling and mismanagement."

"Again we see another cancellation under this government of an international event," Ms Bath said.

"You promised the Commonwealth Games, and you cancelled that too. This is a track record of diabolical proportions."

Ms Bath said the MotoGP had been a supreme calendar event for almost 30 years, creating excitement, economy and vibrancy across the Bass Coast.

She said a 2023 Ernst and Young assessment found the event delivered $54 million in economic benefits, including almost $30 million in local spend, and supported almost 300 full-time equivalent jobs.

"This will hurt this region, and this government is turning its back," Ms Bath said.

"It is not only Phillip Island but it is the many towns that radiate out and where people stay, play and enjoy our beautiful region of Gippsland and Bass Coast."

In a separate statement, Ms Bath said Labor's offer to keep the race was clearly inadequate.

"It beggars belief that an event drawing record-breaking crowds, loved by riders, injecting more than $50 million into Bass Coast's visitor economy and supporting a multitude of small businesses was allowed to be poached," she said.

"It should never have come down to a last-minute bidding crisis. The MotoGP should have been secured many months ago."

Bass MP Jordan Crugnale said she was devastated and had moved quickly to arrange a meeting between Major Events Minister Steve Dimopoulos, Bass Coast Shire Council and local businesses.

"Phillip Island is home to and synonymous with the MotoGP," Ms Crugnale said.

"We are devastated the owners of the race wanted to move it from our stunning region and spectacular coastline to a street-based city race."

Mr Dimopoulos said the state government had met every request from Dorna Sports to retain the race but would not agree to move the event to Albert Park.

"The private foreign owners of the MotoGP demanded we move the event to the city, and we said no," Mr Dimopoulos said.

"We know we could have kept the MotoGP in Victoria if we sold out Phillip Island, but we never will."