MACKAY TURF CLUB UNDER FIRE FOR SACKING ITS RACING SECRETARY

RESPECTED Racing Writer, TERRY BUTTS, lifts the lid on another disgraceful sacking of a high profile and respected official in Queensland. Here is his story from the Silks and Saddles column, courtesy of the North Queensland Register:

MACKAY’S long-serving and highly regarded racing secretary, JOE HYNES, was unceremoniously sacked last week.

We could have said he resigned, and that’s exactly how the club would prefer to describe it.

But Joe knows that club president Joplin and his off-sider Steve Hawkins, and everyone with the slightest interest in racing in the sugar town know that Joe got the boot.

And stand by now for the repercussions.

Firstly, not all the committee knew that the president had demanded Joe’s resignation. Apparently at full committee level it was never discussed.

One prominent member was in Brisbane and claims no knowledge. Another heard the next day. He naturally is not happy and says he will demand some explanations when the committee next meets.

But it’s all over Rover for Joe, and some might say the Turf Club itself, in many ways.

It’s not that the committee is actually hands on. Joe, apart from his secretarial duties, does just about every chore to be done on a racecourse – and has done for 10 years. From judge to janitor.

During the EI crisis, for instance, he attended track work at 4am daily to register all horses and float transport. It was not part of his normal secretarial duties but Joe ensured that DPI regulations were adhered to.

He had suspected for some time that the knives of Joplin and Hawkins were out to get him.

But why?

And when the ‘heinous’ crime he is alleged to have committed is finally known, it will show just how pathetic, laughable, weak-kneed and gutless some committees of race clubs can be.

The very day the chairman walked into the Ooralea office to demand Joe’s resignation, Lisa Watkin, who has been the assistant secretary for 22 years, immediately resigned.

It was against Joe’s recommendation – he tried to talk her out of it – but she did it in a show of solidarity.

Surely that says something about the Mackay Turf Club, once held in the highest esteem as a race club and with a current bank balance that would be the envy of many clubs in Australia!

One could say a credit to the man that they ditched.

The club has a precedent for ignoring the efforts of long-service members.

Remember they sacked the barrier attendants for having a drink on course one race day in May. One of which had 35 years’ service, another with 20-odd years’, and both were shamefully thrown to the dole queue.

But if Joplin and Co thinks Joe is going to walk away and sit down like a loyal dog, they might be in for a major shock.

Joe says he is in no hurry to go anywhere. He might just hang around to see the outcome of the pending court case between the club and the sacked barrier attendants.

That’s far from dead and buried, and with Joe now in a ‘different’ position, and certainly under no obligation to the Mackay Turf Club, we await with interest the outcome.

And the future of the Mackay Turf Club and its wholesome bank balance?

Yes, we just wonder!