THE e-mail box has been inundated with inquiries in the aftermath of the Supreme Court judgment in the civil action taken by Board member Bill Andrews against Queensland Racing.
Because of the delicate nature of the court proceedings we cannot quote anyone officially but have done our best to secure answers to a number of queries and combined that with orders handed down by Judge Margaret Wilson.
It is our understanding that a new election process will be commenced almost immediately and that no fresh nominations will be sought by Queensland Racing Limited.
The 26 applicants who met the original selection criteria will once again be examined by the same recruitment agency. Because of the court ruling that there was no wrong-doing on the part of the recruitment agency, there is seen to be no need to change the process.
One major difference will however apply in the production of a short-list this time. It will not be restricted to four. There will be a minimum of four but no maximum number.
The final list will be forwarded by the recruitment agency to Queensland Racing and the industry stakeholders will again vote, as they did before. The difference being that they will have a larger number of candidates to chose the two new directors from.
It is understood that Queensland Racing will still hold its annual general meeting as planned next month and will not be applying to the court for a postponement.
Because the applicants who met the criteria have already been selected the process can still be done properly, but considerably fast-tracked, with QRL hoping that the new Board will be in place early in the New Year.
COSTS OF SUPREME COURT ACTION HAS INDUSTRY FIRED UP
THE win by Board member Bill Andrews in his Supreme Court Civil Action against Queensland Racing over the fairness of the election process dominated the e-mail box this week.
We have tried to be as fair as possible in selecting e-mails to give a general theme of feelings expressed. Here’s an example:
“As I see it Bill Andrews had a victory of sorts in his case against Queensland Racing but the Judge in her ruling didn’t lay a glove on chairman Bob Bentley and his two ‘mates’ Neville Stewart and Wayne Milner.
“Sure the Judge declared the election process invalid and importantly from Mr Andrews’ point of view she awarded costs to him. But my reading of the ruling is that she found nothing illegal about the nominations of Messrs Stewart and Milner.
“The Judge was extremely critical of Ms Murray, the legal counsel from Queensland Racing, but basically cleared Mr Bentley and the Recruitment Agency. Therefore, the scapegoat in the whole affair the way I see it was the legal woman from Queensland Racing.
“All that happens now is we have another election, probably with a different recruitment company deciding the short list and surprise, surprise, we get the same result as we had before – Mr Bentley gets his way and the racing industry in Queensland is a few hundred thousand dollars worse off due to legal costs.” – Jim Atherton, Brisbane.
Then there was this one:
“What is so wrong with Neville Stewart or Wayne Milner becoming members of the Board of Queensland Racing? I have had dealings with both gentlemen and they are excellent, well credentialed candidates who would work hard and do a great job for the industry in this State.
“Each has forgotten more than one of the current directors will ever learn. We won’t name him because everyone knows who he is. To put him in charge of Queensland Racing could be likened to having a virgin running a brothel.
“I believe that the criticism of Stewart and Milner is coming from the old guard at the Queensland Turf Club perpetrated by their propaganda merchant at The Courier-Mail. I have the utmost respect for Bill Andrews but I think he has been caught up in the political crossfire.” – Name withheld at request of sender.
This was the theme of a number of e-mails concerning the Supreme Court action:
“Would some racing official, politician or racing scribe with a bit of courage please stand up and ask Queensland Racing chairman Bob Bentley how much industry money has been spent in the past few years fighting court cases and defending his organization at official inquiries?
“It must be in the millions of dollars. Now that doesn’t take into account the money spent on preliminary plans for these pie-in-the-sky racing complexes that continue to be promoted everywhere from Brisbane to the Gold Coast and beyond.
“I would hesitate a guess that when you take into account the out-sourcing of costly work to consultancies, public relations companies, lawyers and track planners this figure would be in the tens of millions. And all this occurs at a time when major racetrack complexes are in need of repair and the prize-money levels in Queensland are falling further behind.
“Now that this poor lass from the legal staff at Queensland Racing looks set to take the full brunt of the blame for the loss of the Supreme Court action by Mr Andrews, does this mean we will see more legal work handed out?’ One would hope not!
“One would also hope that Queensland Racing does not go to the extent of launching an appeal against last week’s Supreme Court decision. We can only assume the end cost of that and the original Civil Court defense being lost would be many hundreds of thousands of dollars.” – Dave Kingston, Townsville.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are attempting to secure a reply from Queensland Racing chairman, Bob Bentley, regarding the costs to the industry mentioned above. He did a report on this for the Daubney-Rafter inquiry but that has to be updated.
The Andrews Supreme Court action was the fifth major legal battle that QRL has been involved in when you include two racing inquiries. They argue that all of these required a defense of accusations made against them.
No finalization of costs to Queensland Racing from the loss of the action taken by Mr Andrews is known but the figure is thought to be in the vicinity of $400,000.
TOWNSVILLE HORSE CRUELTY INQUIRY SET DOWN FOR FRIDAY
WE have been asked to try and ascertain the outcome of an inquiry concerning the treatment of a horse by a Townsville-based lady trainer.
The matter was raised with Queensland Racing Director of Integrity Operations, Jamie Orchard, who provided this response:
“The investigation into allegations concerning the treatment of a horse by a Townsville-based trainer has now been completed and a hearing will be conducted by (former Magistrate) Mr Michael Halliday, Adjudicating Steward in Townsville on Friday.
As an inquiry has not yet been formally convened in this matter, QRL is not prepared to identify the trainer involved but that is likely on Friday.
GCTC MEMBERS WARY OF QR AND BRC IN CONTROLLING THEIR DESTINY
THE surprise win by the Racing First Party and elevation of Andrew Eggleston to chairman of the Gold Coast Turf Club was the subject of many e-mails, some of which were once again too defamatory to publish.
We did however select a few that hopefully will convey the feelings of both sides, including the supporters of the team led by ousted chairman Hoss Heinrich.
Here’s the first:
“The Heinrich team is nothing more than sore losers. They lost the election, fair a square, albeit by only a handful of votes. Eggleston and his group have been democratically elected and should be allowed to get on with the job.
“It is sour grapes taking up a petition to try and have a special general meeting force another election. The horse has bolted Hoss! You missed the boat. You waited too long to launch your campaign and didn’t take the opposition seriously enough.
“The factor that swayed most was the suggestion that a deal was being done that would see Queensland Racing take virtual control of the Gold Coast Turf Club and nobody wants that.” – Name with-held at request of e-mail sender.
Then there was this one from a well-known trainer on the Coast, who asked that his identity not be revealed:
“I can remember Andrew Eggleston when he first came to the Gold Coast. I must admit having some difficulty coming to terms with him following in the footsteps of the likes of Alan Hollindale, Keith McLean, Pedro Gallagher and Billy Millican as chairman of our great club.
“With all due respects to Andrew, it is almost like Paul Hogan becoming the Prime Minister of Australia. Andrew and I go back a long way and there are a heap of stories that I could tell that would curl your hair. Good luck to him as the new chairman. He is going to need it.”
And this is the final one:
“We are told that the Racing First Party, led by Andrew Eggleston, won the election on the basis that many members voted for them fearing Hoss Heinrich and his team would hand over control to Queensland Racing in a deal involving redevelopment of the Gold Coast complex.
“That was certainly a major worry and something that Mr Heinrich should have addressed prior to the election loss. What we are concerned about though is the news that Mr Eggleston and his team are keen to jump into bed with the newly-merged Brisbane Racing Club.
“From what we gather they are having trouble getting their own house in order so how can they confidently offer any reassurances that merging part of the operation with them will help us? It all sounds like a political play against Queensland Racing.” – Jim Murphy, Gold Coast.
BRISBANE RACING CLUB UNDER FIRE YET AGAIN
THERE were more e-mails in response to concerns expressed last week about the removal of membership privileges to the widows of former life members of the Queensland Turf Club.
These were followed up with suggestions – that have been confirmed – of a move by the new Brisbane Racing Club to have the names of former high profile QTC identities removed from the names of feature carnival races.
Here’s one of the e-mails that we received:
“Not content to remove the rights of the widows of long-standing QTC committeemen, it seems that the new BRC now wants to dispense with feature races named in recognition of the services to racing of some former leading QTC identities.
“We were told when this merger took place that the war between Eagle Farm and Doomben was over and that everyone would work together in peace and harmony. This isn’t a very good start. Surely former QTC chair Bill Sexton is not just sitting there and watching this happen.
“Perhaps new chairman Dixon and his team should focus on getting our grandstand back in action and a few more hundred people to the track rather than drive them away. This all smacks of political grand-standing as far as I can see.” Sam from Hendra (please do not use my surname).
We also received this e-mail about the BRC:
“It would seem that trainer Gillian Heinrich is an innocent victim of the political war that continues to destroy the good people in Queensland Racing.
“I am told that she was treated very ordinarily by club officials after one of her horses won at Doomben last weekend. I have reliable information that she was very hurt at the treatment she received when invited to share in a congratulatory drink after the win.
“Surely this is not the time to bear political grudges, even if the BRC has decided to jump into bed with the new hierarchy at the Gold Coast Turf Club (where Gillian's husband Hoss was deposed as chairman recently) .
“I also note with great interest that a prominent racing journalist who would walk over broken bottles to talk to Hoss Heinrich when he was chairman of the GCTC has quickly jumped ship and is now promoting the new brigade at the Gold Coast.” – Les Power, Gold Coast.
EDITOR’S NOTE: IF anyone from the Brisbane Racing Club wishes a right of reply to these e-mail criticisms they are welcome to it.