2016-08-18
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — My constituency question is for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, and it relates to the Caulfield Racecourse and recreation reserve, some 54 hectares of Crown land which has for decades been used almost exclusively for racing and for huge financial benefit to the Melbourne Racing Club, which pays a peppercorn rent for is almost exclusive use.
The Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust has an outmoded governance structure and pays lip-service to public access to the site, which is public land. A report from a working group, which includes Assembly members David Southwick and Steve Dimopoulos, was due for release three months ago but for unknown reasons has been delayed. It is almost two years since the Auditor-General released his report into the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve and found that the reserve trustees have not been effective in the overall management of the reserve and that insufficient attention has been paid to public access.
My question to the minister is: when will she act to overhaul the governance of the reserve and improve public access to the Caulfield Racecourse and recreation reserve?
ANSWER on 13 October 2016:
I am pleased to advise that the Bi-partisan Working Group (BWG) report into the implementation of the Victorian Auditor-General's Report into the 'Management and Oversight of the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve' has been completed and was submitted to me for review on 18 August 2016.
This report was prepared by an independent group established by my predecessor, the Hon Lisa Neville MP. In its preparation, the BWG engaged with a range of stakeholders to ensure the thoughts of all representative bodies were reflected in the reports' content.
I welcome the BWG report and accept its recommendation to introduce site-specific legislation that establishes a land management body with specific responsibilities and accountabilities; for example a similar body to the Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust that manages the National Tennis Centre and AAMI Park.
This site-specific legislation will ensure that the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve is managed for its three purposes of racing, public recreation and public park into the future and ensure the Victorian Auditor General's Office recommendations into the 'Management and Oversight of the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve', are implemented.
I have asked each trustee to surrender the Crown Grant, which is acknowledged as an anachronistic land management method, and to resign as trustees. This action, should all trustees agree, will allow me to negotiate a short-term tenancy agreement until such time as the legislation is passed by Parliament.
I would like to thank Mr Ken Ryan AM, Chairperson along with my Cabinet colleague, Mr Steve Dimopoulos MP and Member for Caulfield Mr David Southwick MP for their time and input into the preparation of this important report.