Thank you to one of our readers for alerting us to the changed Trustee website. Changes have occurred in that:
- Minutes are now published
- Financial reports are now published
However, the minutes clearly reveal the ongoing reluctance of the MRC to fully embrace the reforms recommended by the Auditor General. Leases remain in limbo with extension upon extension and master plans ‘progress’ at glacial pace. At this rate we have no real confidence that total reform is even close. It must also be borne in mind that on the topic of the removal of training there is stunning silence from all and sundry – including our councillor reps.
See the following links in order to access the minutes:
February 2014 – http://www.crrt.org.au/Portals/0/Downloads/Sep14/CRR_TRUSTEES_Minutes_180214.pdf
August 2014 – http://www.crrt.org.au/Portals/0/Downloads/Sep14/CRR_TRUSTEES_Minutes_070814.pdf
Glen Eira Debates 
September 30, 2014 at 10:54 AM
Trust is still divided. Fenwick’s nomination and defeat by one vote means the mrc isn’t giving up. Time for government to move in and set up a fully independent management body.
September 30, 2014 at 10:58 AM
Major cracks starting to appear in the MRC’s stranglehold on our Crown Land. Thank you Glen Eira Council for forcing this change.
September 30, 2014 at 2:25 PM
Was beginning to wonder if I would ever agree with Council – but in this instance I believe Council’s request to the AG was something I agreed with.
Must admit though that residents should note that both Crs. Okotel and Pilling voted against requesting an AG audit on the grounds that they didn’t want to jeapardise Council’s relationship with the MRC. The only thing more stomach turning is that both Okotel and Pilling were eloquent in their praise of the AG report.
September 30, 2014 at 6:24 PM
You could also have included Hyams Lipshutz and Esakoff as probably voting against going to the AG since for once they did all declare a conflict of interest. Okotel was asked by Delahunty at this council meeting whether she was lobbied by the above three. Poor Karina, had to leave the chamber and get special “advice” from Newton. That would have made it 5 votes to 4 and chances being that there would not have been the AG’s investigation. Now everyone who was against will take credit. Sickening!
September 30, 2014 at 11:31 AM
APOLOGIES Cr M Lipshutz ????? He must be to busy
September 30, 2014 at 12:39 PM
Magee thought he won with MRC. It is far from finished.
September 30, 2014 at 9:34 PM
do you think the stalling of the lease negotiation will make sure it doesn’t affect the election? Bit concerned by the licencing. Could we have hectares of landlocked land between the training tracks that the MRC are leasing and will not be able to be used for sportsgrounds etc
It is unfortuate the Southwick will probably win even though he has done nothing for Caulfield. I spose Libs will not be in govenrment though so he will be blaming labor for the next term for not opening up the racecourse when he did nothing himself this term!
September 30, 2014 at 10:06 PM
I wouldn’t think that the upcoming election has any bearing on what happens with the lease negotiations. The MRC has a stronghold in both political camps. Plenty of racing junkies to be found in both Libs and Labs. Then there’s always the argument of how vital the racing industry is to the economy, jobs, and so on. It ends up in the political too hard basket for any government I’d say.
The Auditor General’s report has created some stir, but it will probably go down in history as a bit of sound and fury with not too much to show in the long run. Like council, you can pretend to have all the transparency you like but when things are decided in the backrooms a little spin and dissembling gets you home.
I agree entirely with the various sentiments already expressed by plenty of others on this topic. Unless there is a totally independent management committee (excluding all current trustees) nothing much will change for the better. 150 years of mismanagement, cronyism and conflicts of interest aren’t going to go away so quickly as a result of a few pages of criticisms. Elections are irrelevant when the culprits reside in both camps and the Greens haven’t got a hope in hell.