WHEN ‘they’ finally get around to posting a full transcript of what happened when racing was the topic of discussion at the Estimates Hearing on Thursday we will publish excerpts for you.
In the meantime we will rely on what Archie Butterfly has reported on www.peterprofit.com rather than what Ben Dorries has selectively written for the Murdoch Media. And by the way Ben the story of Kim Kelly quitting was not an EXCLUSIVE – LGHR agreed to publish it at the same time as you did which was what happened.
The Butterfly revealed that the Brisbane Racing Club would receive the entire $100mn cost of rebuilding the John Power Grandstand and not $25mn suggesting that this was pork-barrelling for an LNP electorate. Dorries made no mention of this.
The racing public is already questioning how $100mn of taxpayers’ and industry funds could be allocated to this new grandstand if it is exclusively used by a few thousand members. With hospitals, schools and police in need of so much funding these days, it at least has to be for combined usage of the racing public and the Members. To be fair BRC Chairman Richard Morrison did tell LGHR some months ago that a public section was part of the plan.
According to the Murdoch Media reports, Racing Minister Tim Mander has conceded that the hybrid governnance model which caused internationally experienced steward Kim Kelly to walk away from his role at QRIC remains ‘a work in progress’.
Kelly’s concerns rest with one of the recommendations of the Matt McGrath-led Queensland Racing Review, with several major functions of QRIC now intended to sit with Racing Queensland at a corporate level.
The Butterfly says Mander explained: ‘It’s all about efficiency and integrity’. That’s hard for punters and the majority of stakeholders to understand when one of the best stewards in the world walks way fearing ‘integrity will be compromised’ under the new model. Once again: ‘What price integrity’ and is Queensland heading back to the ‘bad old days’ when LNP Governments were in control and the major controversies in Queensland racing occurred a la Fine Cotton, the Caffeine Crisis and the Russ Hinze era.
Mander said ‘no-one is irreplaceable’ when questioned by Opposition Racing spokesman Grace Grace on Kelly’s quick exit. Is the answer Kym Daly, the Minister’s old school pal or Wade Birch who many believe has too many skeletons in the closet? In relation to Birch surely the Minister is listening to a former RQ Chairman.
Those who witnessed the Estimates Hearing were once again convinced that Interim RQ CEO Lachlan Murray doesn’t have what it takes to do the job full-time. Problem is he has the endorsement of new RQ Chairman Matt McGrath, whose appointment and Review performance the Minister has endorsed despite the majority of stakeholders not wanting the Sydneysider.
Murray reportedly side-stepped controversial questions, was unconvincing in the answers he did provide but desperate to promote the success of the recent Winter Carnival, in the process ‘sucking up’ to the Premier. That shouldn’t help him if the appointment process for the RQ CEO is fair because one of the candidates that we are aware of has more grass roots racing experience and national respect than ‘Lachie’ could ever hope to achieve.
Here’s hoping whoever is responsible for posting a full transcript of the hearing on Thursday hasn’t been made redundant overnight and gets off ‘his’ or ‘her’ arse and does the job ASAP so we can provide some direct quotes of the action for those who matter most – stakeholders and the racing public – to read.
