Officials and their Place!

[Vandas]

Hey guys,

I have been a way for awhile but I am back and more involved than ever. Recently I was invited onto the management committee of PIARC (Phillip Island Auto Racing Club) and we have been discussing where we think the officiating side of motorsport is headed. In the past we have seen firstly the teams become professional and corporate, then we saw the governing body of motorsport in Australia become corporate and professional. More recently the categories around Australia are becoming totally corporate. There is only one area left in motorsport which hasn't altered drastically in the last decade. Yes in the last decade from an officials point of view we have seen many changes especially from a safety point of view. also smoothing out of rough procedures, and streamlining of protocol. However, we still hold our breath when the weekend rolls around whether there will be enough officials to man the track for a State series event. Or whether other clubs officials will know about our event and will therefore roll out to enjoy another day at the track.

What can be done? What needs to be changed? Should there become a single officials organisation in Australia from which we can become much more organised and become a greater force in motorsport. With unity comes power, sound familiar. In these days where the corporate bullies want to pillage and plunder there is still power in the masses. With a single group we could have more control over the motorsport world.

If you look at the top level officials in this country none of them have changed in the last 16 years. Peter Nelson race secretary of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, and president of PIARC has been doing his job since the first GP in Adelaide in 1985. My father has been the Assistant Clerk of Course and National Clerk of Course at the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix since 1985. I also believe that he was Clerk of Course at the Formula 1 event at Calder in the early 80s or Late 70s I can't remember I was only born in 1980.

We need to change things up a litte. I am currently putting together some ideas and would love any input. I will be talking with Tim Schenken, Peter Nelson, Ken Smith, and many of the other high ranking officials at the Grand Prix and I would like to take some fresh ideas to them. So if anyone out there would like to see a change, or would like to see something happen. Please write here in this forum, and we can start something.

[redback]

I don't think we need another group of unity and power. Cochrane/Avesco and CAMS cause enough carnage now. I also think the reason that people stay in the upper levels of officiating so long is that they won't bloody move over and give anyone else a chance. The same people are in the same commitees year after year, after year. When votes are held the same old group doesn't want anyone else to spoil their party so the newcomers never get in. I know of people that would like to improve their area of motorsport and are constantly bullied out by comitee members that have been in the same click for years. It is only the corporate bullies that are able to force change by buying out the system, but with the corporate bullies comes the strangle hold that you fear. It's a catch-22 as far as I'm concerned.

[Vandas]

Redback, I think that another group with power is exactly what we need. the officials at race meetings are your die hard motor racing fans. The best interest of motorsport is in their heart. I can't say the same about the other groups. How do you know nothing can be done, unless you try? I have the luck of being tied to the committee of PIARC through family and friends, and I can tell you that no one has been bullied off the committee there. No one puts their hand up at all to join it except for the die hards.

I think that we hold a great deal of power in the motorsport world, we just need to harness it and then through our weight around a little.

But these are only thoughts mind you. I am only seeking other people's ideas.

[redback]

Your words say it all.

I have the luck of being tied to the committee of PIARC through family and friends, and I can tell you that no one has been bullied off the committee there. No one puts their hand up at all to join it except for the die hards.

Because you are so close you can't see the problem. I wasn't talking about being bullied off but never getting on in the first place. It's a "jobs for the boys" thing.

I hope someone else can tell you what you want to hear

[Vandas]

But if you look at the make-up of the management committee half of the voting members are tied to the committee through family and friends. Motorsport is about friendship, and I know that for a fact if anything I have been under a far greater scrutiny than any other person who may wish to join. Mainly because of the fear by my father that nepotism could be blamed. that is why I have to work my arse off trying to come up with new and inventive ideas. In regards to people not even getting on in the first place. I sat there at the AGM and listened to a lot of people from the floor express there opinions, but when the president called for any new applications or new appointments the floor went silent. I was one of the floor on that night and I went silen myself. I decided to approach the president afterwards to inform him that I was interested and what was the best way I should go about being invited onto the committee. My family did not know about this, my family friends didn't know either.

Remember that as a club that relies on its 600 odd members each year, it is sheer stupidity to brush them off and play favourites. Our club is open to all, and is there to give everyone a chance. And to make certain that everyone gets a fair go at everything, I want to push for more change or at least better training for younger senior officials.

But that is only phase 1 of my plan to change up a few things from the officiating point of view. I know others before me have tried and become disillusioned but I am trying a different angle. And going in harder and more aggressively than they did, but with a smile on my face. You never know, it might work. If it doesn't what have I lost really.

Thanks for your comments, I would like to hear more. And no I like to hear opposing views more often than people agreeing with me. It helps me prepare for whatever arguments others may come up with, and also helps me look at the situation from another angle. Which keeps me in touch with how it is all looking.

[Crash Test]

What exactly is it that you are thinking of?

Is it that you are trying to get officials a major pay rise?

I know that I put in many hard hours for the various clubs around the place (QRDA, QGRA, QHRCC, Qld HQ Association, NSW HQ Association, NSW Historics, QLD Saloon Cars, NASSA, and to a lesser extent Improved Production and any other club that needs a hand) and I do it beacause I love it, as does everyone else who put in more of an effort than I do.

Our job it to promote, encourage, support, and improve the conditions people race under. We all know that before we get involved with the official side of the sport, that we most likely wont get anything out of it, into our wallets.

One thing, where would the money to make it professional come from? People are tight as things are at the moment, if everyone doubled membership fees/gate fees, I'm sure not too many people would be interested anymore..

Motorsport at the moment is on a bubble. The professional series you speak of are V8 Supercars and GTP. They simply only interested in their own finances, have they ever put anything back into the rest of the motorsport community?

If I have seen this in the totally wrong way, please correct me. Everything in motorsport has it's problems, but by totally changing everything would probably only cause more problems imo

[Vandas]

Crash Test,

Thank you for your input. What I am saying is not to professionalise officiating as such. I understand that there is no way we could ever have officials ask for money because that would change everything. The whole system would have to be revised, and then with the total costs motorsport would fall over in Australia.

I want to see a new governing body, just for officials. This group would be a non-profit organisation, therefore it would not undergo the current taxation laws. The people in charge would initially have to be a sub contracted group (they could work for the company but in order to forgo any taxation would have to be hired by the organisation on a contract basis) who would be in charge of all administrative and initial processes. This group would be National with various State offices (similar to CAMS) and representatives.

This group could do things like actually organise events within itself, be promoters, train their own officials rather than having to go off to CAMS offices to do their training. It could also organise the insurance and legal issues of all its members. Could fight for better trackside conditions for officials when tracks are being revamped. For example adequate shelter and protection. It could be an organisation that could write the rules of officiating and take it to the next level.

Remember that these are all just thoughts in my mind. If you think about those officials in New Zealand, they would be the perfect example of what this organisation could look after and back up.

Officials have a long tiring job and do it for little reward, yet they leave themselves open for lawsuits everytime they set foot on the track.

Please let me know what you think.

Remember these are all just ideas so I want to shape them and refine them through this forum.

[Marshal]

Vandas,

Have you considered contacting other officials organisations around the world to discuss how they opperate? For example the BMMC in the UK is currently revamping itself, and there might be leassons learned that are transfereable.

Try contacting them through Marshals.co.uk

[Crash Test]

Thanks for the explanation.

But a few questions. Is the current system broken?

"This group could do things like actually organise events within itself, be promoters"

There's nothing stopping any of the officials associations at the moment from doing that sort of thing. Like the scruitineers association here in Qld organises sprint meetings, which are proving to be immensely popular.

"train their own officials rather than having to go off to CAMS offices to do their training. It could also organise the insurance and legal issues of all its members."

Is this an area which is currently a problem? I thought that the new CAMS training was working better than the old?

"Could fight for better trackside conditions for officials when tracks are being revamped. For example adequate shelter and protection."

Agreed. But I'm sure if the current officials associations, and other interested clubs opened their mouths wide now, a message would get through.

[Vandas]

Thanks for the suggestion Marshal I'll check that out.

Crash Test, I hear what you are saying but currently there are so many little groups in motor racing catering for each little niche, but can you imagine trying to co-rdinate all those groups. These groups don't have to be taken over, but they need to be have a controlling body which can unify all the officials and look out for the officials of Australia.

Have you noticed that CAMS has lost sight of a lot of these things which it was initially intended to look after. I believe that the job has become to big for CAMS alone and that they should concentrate on running the categories and move over (which they won't do) to allow for the officials to look after themselves.

My uncle is the head of the National Training Council, or at least on the board or something, and there is a lot of hassle they have to go through to book rooms to have the lectures and CAMS generally puts in as much red tape as possible, but I they are required to do a lot of it. I think that an all officials organisation could concentrate on this area and train officials in everything from First aid through to Track Craft and communications. We could really train our officials to an adequate level.

Currently clubs organise events, which are very popular. PIARC and the Group 5 members all run very successful events here in Victoria, but an officials organisation could bring in International categories. Rather than just the small budget local events.

I don't know maybe I am wrong, but every big organisation had its beginnings in people's doubts over existing systems.

Please give me more ideas.