Caulfield Racecourse trustees face sack as community calls for more open space

The trustees responsible for the management and oversight of Melbourne’s Caulfield Racecourse Reserve could be sacked after the findings of a bi-partisan Victorian Parliamentary panel.

The panel found the Racecourse’s current management set-up needed displayed "unworkable" governance and needs to be replaced because it did not function properly, potentially allowing the area to be opened up for greater public use.

As a result, the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve 54 hectares could soon be utilised for more open space, recreation and sport.

Home to premier racing events such as the Caulfield Cup and the Blue Diamond Stakes, the inner-city land was put aside as Crown land a century ago for broader community use, not just racing.

However, public access to the land was restricted by the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust (CRRT) - made up, according to The Age of “a secretive group of trustees heavily influenced by the powerful Melbourne Racing Club” - who made the site look unwelcoming and managed the area for years to serve its own interests.

With locals were concerned about their access to the area, the Victorian Government established the review earlier this year.

This has found that the trustee structure is "unworkable" and "anachronistic", calling for a new independent body to manage the reserve.

The panel found the legal workings of the CRRT did not allow for transparency and good governance measures had not been put in place, stating “without exception, all stakeholders agreed that the current structure based on representative appointments does not work and creates potential and real conflicts of interest.

"All stakeholders were open to the concept of a new independent structure, which conforms to modern governance standards and accountabilities."

Commenting on the findings, Victorian Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said the inquiry found there was long-standing ill-will between the racing community and local residents, stating “the findings make it very clear that for too long the local community has been locked out of what is a public space.

"It also makes very clear the current trust is dysfunctional.

"I'm very confident that we can strike the right balance between what the local residents need in terms of open space and recreation and the needs of the racing community."

If the 15 trustees don't stand down legislation would be introduced giving the Minister the power to dissolve the group and set up a new, clearer governance structure based on bodies such the Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust or the MCG Trust.

In the meantime, the Victorian Department of Environment would be appointed the interim land manager.

The CRRT trustees include six Melbourne Racing Club nominees, six Vicorian Government nominees and three from the Glen Eira Council.

The City of Glen Eira has the least public space of any municipality in Melbourne, and councillors have previously pointed out there were about 400 children unable to play sport in the area last winter because they simply didn't have the room.

The skewed way in which the reserve has been managed was previously highlighted in a 2014 Auditor-General's report, which found 37 out of the reserve's 54 hectares were being used by the MRC for racing and training "without clear legal entitlement or transparent arrangements in place that recognise the financial benefit to the club".

Images of Caulfield Racecourse courtesy of the Victorian Auditor-General.

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