The Australian Government today congratulated the Gold Coast and Queensland on being named as the host of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The Gold Coast was awarded the Commonwealth Games ahead of the Sri Lankan city of Hambantota after a ballot at St Kitts in the West Indies.

Seventy-one delegates from the six Commonwealth regions cast their votes before the Gold Coast was announced as the host this morning.

This morning’s victory was a fantastic result for the Gold Coast, Queensland and Australia.  It will provide a big boost to tourism and jobs on the Gold Coast, both in the lead up to the Games and during the event.

The Games attract thousands of athletes from around the Commonwealth, as well as tens of thousands of fans and a global television audience of well over one billion people.  So hosting the Commonwealth games will be a great opportunity to showcase to a huge global audience all that the Gold Coast has to offer.

The 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gives Australia another chance to demonstrate its ability to host major international sporting events following the successful 2000 Sydney Games, the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Australia has a long and proud association with the Commonwealth Games, having competed in every Games since they began in 1930 and hosting the Games four times. 
 
The Gold Coast Games in 2018 will be the fifth time Australia will have hosted the Commonwealth Games - more than any other nation.

Australia will also be looking forward to a home advantage and repeating its most successful Games performance in the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games where we won a record 221 medals.

The Australian Government is looking forward to working with the Queensland Government and Australian Commonwealth Games Association to stage an outstanding Commonwealth Games. 

Special congratulations should go to Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke and the successful Bid Team headed by Mark Peters and Mark Stockwell as well as Australian Commonwealth Games Association President Sam Coffa and CEO Perry Crosswhite.