The head of a Victorian Commonwealth Games committee has told a federal Senate inquiry it seemed host cities were not being listened to as they tried to plan for the now-cancelled 2026 event.

Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton was one of the witnesses in a day of public hearings for the inquiry into Australia's preparedness to host Commonwealth, Olympic, and Paralympic Games. 

He told the inquiry, sitting in Bendigo today, that those responsible for planning the 2026 Commonwealth Games did not seem to be listening to the wants and needs of Ballarat, one of the host cities.

"There was a sense that, actually, the regions are being a bit ignored here," Mr Poulton told the inquiry.

"That this is government decision-making that is based out of the Melbourne bureaucracy, telling regional Victoria what is best for you.

"Constantly we were being reminded that the time frame is short, and there are real constraints in and around what you can and can't do with the Commonwealth Games."

A sense of being dictated to, rather than consulted with, was one of the common themes to emerge from the testimonies provided by witnesses from rural and regional Victoria.

Lack of consultation

Gary Warnest, president of the Bendigo and District Table Tennis Association, said there was a lack of consultation when the City of Greater Bendigo was selected to host table tennis.

Mr Warnest said he initially believed that Geelong had been selected and that his first knowledge of the decision was when he was asked to be in a photo.

He also said that events designed to increase awareness and participation in the sport should have already been underway.

"This table tennis event should have been scripted to maximise benefit and participation," Mr Warnest said. 

"I've seen no evidence of that.

"There was little, if any, sport consultation or communication happening in the lead-up to the event."

More funding needed

Asked about the time line to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games and the impact for athletes, Athletics Australia director Steve Moneghetti said that nine years was "a short runway" and that some athletes would need to train overseas.

"There'd be athletes out there looking at the Paris Olympics next year, Los Angeles Olympics, we have world championships every two years, the next one is in Japan," Mr Moneghetti said.

"So their focus is on those major world and Olympic games leading into Brisbane 2032. Their focus is completely on the next major international event, whether that be locally or internationally.

Mr Moneghetti said there was a need for athletes to receive increased funding to make sure they remained competitive.

"We mentioned athletics being the premier sport at the Olympic Games. The reason is because it's such a high participation rate.

"We attract all walks of life. There are no barriers to athletics, which means on the world stage it's a very, very competitive environment.

"And that costs dollars."