Aussie Premier impressed with Delhi's preparation for 2010 CWG

The premier of Victoria - last host of the Commonwealth Games in Australia, John Brumby, has said he was very impressed with the architecture of the infrastructure coming up for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi, India next year.

He also told the Organisers of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games of his delight with the efforts of the Organising Committee to engage the community to come out and play.

During a visit to the headquarters of the Organising Committee in New Delhi, Mr Brumby said he had not forgotten the cultural show that had Delhi had put up at the closing ceremony of the Melbourne Games in 2006.

"It was spectacular with more than 1,000 participants representing Delhi," he told Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

"I will always remember that and the handover. The friendships formed then between Melbourne, Australia, Delhi and India are so good, so strong and so enduring."

"I must say I am very impressed with what I have seen," he said. "I am sure that you will have a very successful Games next year.

It will be good for Delhi and for India and great for the Commonwealth," Mr Brumby said.

Mr Kalmadi told him the 2006 Melbourne Games had raised the bar for the Commonwealth Games and that the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi was ready to replicate that.

"A good Commonwealth Games will hopefully set the stage for us to host the Olympic Games in the near future," he said.

Mr Brumby said he had been reminding the media over the past couple of days during his visit to the Indian Capital that organising the Commonwealth Games was a big job.

"There are so many sporting disciplines, so many competitions to be run. Getting the logistics, especially transport, right is a huge challenge. If you have a good team, the rest of it follows.

"I know Victoria is providing some support around logistics and stadium design. We will be happy to do anything else you need to make sure that the Games are a great success," Mr Brumby said.

"I know that the business programme we had was very good and I would strongly recommend that you replicate it because you will have people coming from other parts of India and the Commonwealth.

It is a great opportunity to build investment and create jobs on the back of the Games."

Responding to an invitation from Mr Kalmadi to visit Delhi during the Games, Mr Brumby said elections back home would make it difficult for him to travel but when he heard of the plans to showcase 5000 years of India culture, he said he would be tempted to come to Delhi for the opening ceremony on October 3 next year.

"A magnificent building. There is a great partnership between Melbourne and New Delhi and we look forward to a fantastic Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010," Mr Brumby wrote in the Guestbook.