V8 Supercars Australia, pulling the wool over local government eyes.

[Uncle Cranker]

The artist formerly known as "AVE$$CO" has again triumphed in fooling local government, but this time there's a conflict of interest. (dramatic sting)


This is the body text of an e-mail that landed in my inbox in the middle of the night, after starting life with a Mr Ron White, President Twin Cities Autosports Club Inc. then moving on to Rob Nethercote and then right through the bowels of CAM$, and ending up as this Sh1tty post.



I quote: ( apologies for not being able to find a link to the Townsville Bulletin).

City on track for V8 event
By JESSICA JOHNSTON
16nov05

TOWNSVILLE'S V8 supercar bid is going ahead full throttle after the city council last night committed $3 million to redevelop a venue for the event.

But excitement gave way to disbelief as Councillor Fay Barker was asked to leave the council meeting after she revealed personal dealings with a major stakeholder.

"I loaned a man in need a small amount of money because he was a friend and I do not walk away from a mate in trouble," Cr Barker said.

"Whether the event proceeds has absolutely no bearing on whether this small personal loan to a friend is repaid."

Cr Barker said she sought legal advice when the V8 supercar event was later tabled in council, and the council's legal team concluded no conflict of interest existed.

However, Townsville Mayor Tony Mooney said he should have been personally informed of the dealings 12 months ago.

He was unrelenting in his attack on Cr Barker, saying nothing could be seen to compromise the council's commitment to securing the event for Townsville.

Cr Mooney said an updated report was a major breakthrough for Townsville's bid.

After the council's initial application, the State Government appointed Gold Coast Indy Car consultant company Yeehah Events to oversee Townsville's planning.

Company head James O'Brien recently visited Townsville and his requests, including minor track adjustments, were written into the council's updated planning report.

The council has committed about $3 million to upgrade Reid Park in Railway Estate as a venue for both the V8 supercars, and other community events.

"Our engineering director has confirmed we are on track to build a multi-purpose special event area in Reid Park beside the Civic Theatre," Cr Mooney said.

The report outlined $1.75 million would be spent constructing a concrete hard stand, $680,000 for viewing mounds, $250,000 had been allocated for park earthworks and $100,000 on the park entrance.

The report also advised access to the site would be important.

Cr Mooney said another pedestrian bridge crossing Ross Creek would be built in time for the event.

He said the council would immediately begin negotiations with Queensland Rail to secure the currently unused railway bridge crossing from the Railway North yards to the back of the Civic Theatre to develop a pedestrian foot bridge.

The bridge would provide access directly into Flinders St from the race.

He said the council would immediately begin negotiations to secure development permits.

"We're getting the housekeeping in order to see the event under way in 2007," Cr Mooney said.

In addition to the capital outlay, the council heard a further $320,000 would be spent in the first year, and $310,000 in subsequent years to fund the ongoing cost of the event.

"With this type of support from the council it is believed the State Government will give the event the go-ahead," Cr Mooney said.

He said the council was awaiting legal advice about using community money to secure the event, which would be run by a private company.

The operating company would be responsible for financing everything outside the capital activity.

Cr Mooney said he had no doubt about a positive outcome.

"From our point of view it's full foot on the throttle and we're going for it," he said.

"We think it can be a great event for Townsville, and we hope through the consultant we get good feedback from the State Government over our commitment to go ahead."

The event is estimated to bring more than 75,000 visitors to Townsville in its first year, peaking at 108,000 in its fifth.

Some very nice crowd figures quoted there.


I hope Townsville Council dedicate a portion of that $3 million to sending a delegation to Canberra, to get some facts............


But they won't, so it will go ahead, and possibily lose piles of ratepayers dollars.

But at least they will be able to say they once hosted the....



Townsville, 'Railway 300' V8 Supercar race.

[monaroCountry]

As far as im concerned, government speding on motorsport is a plus.

As for conflict of interest she (Baker) has sought legal advice and have to some extent covered herself.

Face it, thats politics.................

[DannyG]

I dont mind governments spending money on motorsports, they waste our taxes on all sorts of things so wasting it on something most of us enjoy is a good thing I also dont see a problem with those crowd figures, fair enough they might be a little optimistic but i cant see why townsville cant pull 70 odd thousand people in 2007. And given the slow and steady growth of the v8's 100 thousand + in 2013 is not out of the question

[storyline]

DannyG - govt spending on motorsport is fine - IF it were spent where it helps all motorsport participants not just the 2-3% of the sport that already has multi-million dollar budgets and even bigger backing.

If you think even in 8 years a crowd of 100,000+ will appear I think you need to go and look at the Auditor's reports into Canberra and read how the figures were totally fudged to try and get more money out of the ACT government once the event started.

[hml2777]

and who is to say the AVESCO (or whatever they are called now) are going to be around in 2013.

I agree with Soryline on this one, sh1t loads of money spent on a once a year event, they should be pouring money into a facilty that they can use all year round for local enthuisiasts.

[stoned pony]

And ask why the Tasmanian government has to kick the tin to the tune of an extra $300,000 a year for that state's V8 Supercar round.
Also note that, for the entire state of Tasmania, only 62,000 turned-up at Symmons Plains over three days. What does that say for a fairly remote city like Townsville?

[hml2777]

Originally Posted by stoned pony

And ask why the Tasmanian government has to kick the tin to the tune of an extra $300,000 a year for that state's V8 Supercar round.
Also note that, for the entire state of Tasmania, only 62,000 turned-up at Symmons Plains over three days. What does that say for a fairly remote city like Townsville?

62,000 for a track that holds about 8-10,000, that is a pretty big effort. AVESCO/Ch. 10 numbers again

[Uncle Cranker]

Come on Henry, they did a head count...

2 heads, times 10,000 per day for 3 days = an AVE$$CO 62,000 crowd.

[WebberForWDC]

Never mind, the $300,000 annual expense seems quite reasonable in my opinion.

If earthworks are bit pricey so be it, it cost millions to do seemingly simple works does it not?

Presumably the track is no longer than necessary.

Street events = much bigger crowd = good for the sport

Especially when you rope the local media in as partners and thus have front page coverage, big news coverage on TV etc.

Definately need a properly done Sydney street race, will work wonders if it's done right and is just like Clipsal.

[johnny yuma]

good one cranker,I can hear banjos.If Eastern Creek v8 $upercar round was sacked for only producing 17000,how in hades is cowtown going to muster 70000??? AVE$CO IS JUST LOOKING FOR ANOTHER COW TO MILK.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by hml2777

62,000 for a track that holds about 8-10,000, that is a pretty big effort. AVESCO/Ch. 10 numbers again

In reality I would say that it only holds 2-3,000. It is a pretty small track! A lot of people crammed into the one spot can often look a lot bigger than it is!

[johnny yuma]

Originally Posted by Guest

In reality I would say that it only holds 2-3,000. It is a pretty small track! A lot of people crammed into the one spot can often look a lot bigger than it is!

NO IT WOULD HAVE TO HOLD 10000 FROM COUNTS DO.NE IN DAYS OF MORE HONEST REPORTING

[jdh]

why all this enthusiasm for street circuits, they are the worst for spectators, if we want to promote our sport we need to show more than just a few seconds worth of cars. I officiate at the F1 and the people I stay with are not into motorsport, they used my free tickets once and said how boring, you get a brief glimpse of the cars and thats it. They have never bothered to go back despite free tickets

[storyline]

Originally Posted by WebberForWDC

Street events = much bigger crowd = good for the sport

The only street circuit in Australia that works (barring F1 as this is a once a year effort anyway) is Adelaide - because of the effort put into it in the first pace when the F1 moved to Melbourne (the govt didn't want to 'lose face')

Again - go find the report into Canberra and then tell us that street circuits work. The ONLY people street circuits work for are the promoters who aren't forking out the money to run them i.e. those that get a sanctioning fee from someone else.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by johnny yuma

NO IT WOULD HAVE TO HOLD 10000 FROM COUNTS DO.NE IN DAYS OF MORE HONEST REPORTING

I can assure you it doesnt!

[William Dale Jr]

Originally Posted by hml2777

...they should be pouring money into a facilty that they can use all year round for local enthuisiasts.

Agreed. Wholeheartedly.

[JABWOA]

Is Bathurst still a 60 zone? Some club could run a speed restricted regularity/time trial there any time they wanted...

[Schrodes]

Street events = much bigger crowd = good for the sport

Good for AVESCOs back pocket. Not good for any ather category.

[peckstar]

i can assure you that the tassie circuit holds much more than 10'000 bodies. when you consider there was over 1200 in the grandstands and ther crowds were around 15 deep the whole lenth of the straight and deeper down towards the hairpin
plus anoter 1000 in corporate seats

[Guest]

Let go of it!

[Guest]

Are you telling me that "The Tassie Track" holds more than Sandown??

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by WebberForWDC

Street events = much bigger crowd = good for the sport


Definately need a properly done Sydney street race, will work wonders if it's done right and is just like Clipsal.

Dont see it. How is a government throwing money at Avesco good for the sport. It has been proven that street races has not improved attendance at permanent circuits or increased attendance at other motorsport events. Street races might be good for Avesco's bottom line, doesn't equal greatness for motorsport.

Sydney would be most wise to avoid doing a street race.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Guest

Are you telling me that "The Tassie Track" holds more than Sandown??

i didnt mention sandown. but the the granstand at sandown is 10,000

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Dont see it. How is a government throwing money at Avesco good for the sport. It has been proven that street races has not improved attendance at permanent circuits or increased attendance at other motorsport events. Street races might be good for Avesco's bottom line, doesn't equal greatness for motorsport.

Sydney would be most wise to avoid doing a street race.

erll maybe you need to determine what the sport is. is the sport motorsport or is it v8 supercars.

surely if more people watch or attend. than what had ahappened previously then the sport has been bettered.

[monaroCountry]

Also note that, for the entire state of Tasmania, only 62,000 turned-up at Symmons Plains over three days. What does that say for a fairly remote city like Townsville?

That's what people used to say when rugby league moved up there. Now the Cowboys regularly tops rugby league attendance figures (along with the broncos). 62K for Townsville is totally plausable.