2017-06-20
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — On many occasions over the last eight years I have raised the issue of a lack of modern and appropriate governance structures at the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve. Last year on 15 September I raised the issue again with the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. I received a response on 27 October last year that the government would be introducing new governance structures at Caulfield Racecourse, that there would be a body established to implement the outstanding recommendations from the Victorian Auditor-General's Office report into the management and oversight of Caulfield Racecourse and that the time line for the introduction of these new governance structures would be mid-2017. It is now mid-2017, and I see no sign of those new governance structures at Caulfield Racecourse. So my question is: when will the new governance structures for Caulfield Racecourse Reserve be introduced?
ANSWER on 10 August 2017:
To introduce the new governance structures for Caulfield Racecourse Reserve, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning is working through a range of complicated legal matters. These include the removal of the current Crown Grant, which is an outdated method of delegated management. It is important that due diligence is followed to ensure the long-term solution is sustainable and doesn't unduly impact the rights of the various parties affected by the new governance structures and the proposed legislation. We are still fully committed to implementing the new governance arrangements as soon as possible.