Lawyers were hired to lay the groundwork for Victoria scrapping the 2026 Commonwealth Games up to six weeks before the Victorian government announced its decision.

A document submitted to an upper house parliamentary inquiry shows law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler was paid $1,265,982 for services and costs related to the withdrawal from June to September.

That’s on top of the $380 million in compensation the state government has agreed to pay organisers.

Former Premier Daniel Andrews on July 18 announced Victoria would no longer host the sporting event across regional hubs, citing estimated costs blowing out to up to $7 billion.

The document does not give an exact start date for when the law firm was hired but raises questions about how long the government held cost concerns.

New Premier Jacinta Allan appeared before a state budget estimates hearing on June 13 as then games’ delivery minister.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto questioned if Ms Allan misled parliament by giving no indication the games’ initial $2.6 billion budget was in peril.

“We were told by the current premier and her predecessor that the decision was made to cancel the Commonwealth Games only 24 hours before we all knew about it,” he told reporters at state parliament.

“But what this (document) suggests is that’s not true, and at worse it’s a lie.”

The premier stood by the evidence she gave to the committee but could not provide an exact date when the law firm was hired in June.

Ms Allan said the legal arrangements were being handled by the premier’s department as the government firmed up revised costs from estimates to actuals.

“There were a range of options and advice that was sought from across the public service,” she told reporters at parliament on Wednesday.

“You know, ‘do you continue?’, ‘do you look at other alternatives’, ‘what does not proceeding with the games look like?’.

“In terms of that last question, of course we needed legal advice.”

The document, supplied by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, also shows barrister Frances Gordon KC was paid $19,745 for her work in August.

Two senior figures from the department who flew to the UK to handle negotiations over the cancellation incurred costs of more than $44,000 combined.

That included just over $27,000 in airfares.

DPC secretary Jeremi Moule, the state’s top public servant, flew out on July 15, days before the public was told of the decision.

Public hearings for the state-based parliamentary inquiry into the 2026 Commonwealth Games bid will begin next week, with Mr Moule among those listed to give evidence.

Former Commonwealth Games legacy minister Harriet Shing is yet to receive an invitation to appear but said she would if called.

– AAP