But when asked repeatedly about who was responsible for deciding not to work with the organisers about moving the Games,Andrews refused to answer.

He promised to release the details of any compensation paid,but stopped short of undertaking to release the advice from consultants Ernest&Young that said the cost of the Games would top $6.2 billion – a figure that Games authorities say is “grossly exaggerated”.

“There will be a full accounting and a full reporting of all of those matters,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

Andrews repeatedly refused to apologise to athletes for cancelling the Games,and also refused to discuss the negotiations overcompensation that will be due to the Commonwealth Games organising bodies.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday said he had been shocked when he received “a very short heads up” about Tuesday’s announcement.

“It was not something that we were anticipating,given that it’s been in the wind for some time,” he told radio station 2GB.

“I think the regret is for theathletes who will be hurt by this. The idea of competing at your own Games is always a positive thing.”

Athletics Australia chief executive Peter Bromley said the government needed to explain how its $6 billion figure was reached.

“I think we need some cool heads to sit down and ask how and why that is,” he told ABC radio. “And,obviously,we need to find a willing partner that wants to participate and keep the 2026 Games alive.”

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