Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and his deputy are not volunteering to face questions from a federal inquiry over cancelling the Commonwealth Games.

A Senate committee investigating Australia’s preparedness to host Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games has agreed to reopen public submissions following Victoria’s decision to scrap hosting the 2026 event.

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie wants it to call Mr Andrews, Deputy Premier and former Commonwealth Games delivery minister Jacinta Allan, former Games legacy minister Harriet Shing and Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas to give evidence.

The Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee has no power to compel Mr Andrews nor the ministers to appear but could issue invitations.

Its next hearing is scheduled for August before it reports in December.

Victoria’s negotiation team returned from London on Monday, without a compensation settlement deal with Games organisers. Talks are ongoing.

Asked on Tuesday if he would accept an invitation to appear before the inquiry, Mr Andrews refused be drawn.

“I haven’t received an invitation so I won’t be dealing with completely hypothetical matters,” he said.

“There’s a negotiation going on and we’ll appropriately respect that.”

Ms Allan, who the Victorian opposition wants to resign over the abandoned Games and is viewed as a premier in waiting, was similarly non-committal.

“There is some speculation in the press and Senator McKenzie has been running around saying all sorts of things,” she said.

“Let’s wait and see what happens in Canberra.”

Victoria last week dumped a plan to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland and Shepparton over a forecast cost blowout of up to $4.4 billion, having initially budgeted $2.6 billion for the 12-day event.

No other Australian state or territory has come to the rescue, and Games organisers remain without a host less than three years from the event.

Mr Andrews denied his office called other state leaders before last week’s announcement to tell them not to take it on.

“Whoever is putting that around, that’s taking conspiracy theories to a new level,” he said.

“There was, I think, a consistency in the response of other first ministers on that day – all that speaks to is the fact that $6 billion is too much for the Commonwealth Games.”

The federal opposition wants the Albanese government to do more about the Victorian decision.

“There is no leadership from this Prime Minister,” acting opposition leader Sussan Ley said on Sunday.

“By the way, where is Anika Wells? The Sports Minister… happy to pop up in a photo op with the Matildas during the week.

“But nowhere to be seen, missing in action. There really is an issue of Australia’s international reputation.

-with AAP