Anger at use of Sydney Opera House to promote horse racing event

The NSW Government is facing a growing backlash over a decision to display an advertisement for a upcoming horse racing event on the sails of the Sydney Opera House.

Prompted by lobbying from Racing NSW, The Daily Telegraph newspaper and broadcaster Alan Jones, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has directed that the World Heritage listed building promote the upcoming The Everest horse race at the Randwick Racecourse.

The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, was among those who condemned the move, telling Guardian Australia “I am appalled that the state government has instructed the Sydney Opera House to ignore its own policies to let Racing NSW use our iconic sails to advertise a $13m horse race.

“This is blatant commercialisation of Australia’s world heritage-listed Opera House for an industry notorious for damaging gambling and animal cruelty.”

Lord Mayor Moore said people should write to the Premier Berejiklian to expressing their disgust.

The Opera House management had earlier said an application by Racing NSW to promote the race contravened a policy to prevent the building’s commercialisation and risked its world heritage listing.

However, the NSW Government’s decision on Friday night to order the Opera House to honour the application came after a public campaign by Racing NSW, The Daily Telegraph newspaper radio host Alan Jones.

Jones attacked Opera House Chief Executive, Louise Herron in a combative radio interview on Friday in which he said she should be sacked after she refused to use the building’s sails as a billboard for Racing NSW.

Racing NSW is an advertiser in The Daily Telegraph.

Image: The promotion for 'The Everest' is to take place on Tuesday. Courtesy of Racing NSW.