He submitted 200 words. 130 were cut. Here’s what this MRC candidate really wanted to say

Schoolteacher Peter Brown withdrew as a candidate for the board of the Melbourne Racing Club this year after his 200-word statement to members was “heavily redacted” to just 70 words by the club’s executive committee.

Brown would have been standing against chairman John Kanga and two other board members at the election but said he pulled out of the race because what remained of his statement would have been too humiliating to present to members.

Documents seen by this masthead show the MRC executive committee – which excluded Kanga and other incumbents standing for re-election – removed a reference to saving racing at Sandown, cut his suggestion to install an underground escalator connecting the public carpark to Caulfield racecourse and deleted his call for “higher standards of contemporary governance” to protect the club’s $1 billion in assets.

After reviewing the first draft of Brown’s statement, the committee directed him to remove some material. He then submitted a revised 200-word draft (pictured below), which was cut to 70 words.

Brown has nominated unsuccessfully for the board on four previous occasions, and said his candidate statements had not previously been altered. But he was told by the election’s returning officer, independent company CorpVote, that the redacted 70-word statement was to be presented to members “without further amendments”.

“I could not with any credibility present it to members,” Brown said. “It would have been a humiliation for me to have sent out a candidate statement that would have done no justice to any genuine candidate.”

The first draft of Brown’s statement, which he was ordered to change, argued for “improved governance procedures and asset protection”.

“Higher standards of contemporary governance need to be established, including an independent audit committee formed with the appointment of external auditors and including executive committee representation, to meet regularly on a scheduled basis to oversee financial transactions recording and reporting.”

This masthead reported on Thursday that MRC chairman Kanga and the club’s leadership had been accused of several governance breaches in complaints lodged with Racing Victoria’s integrity department and the Racing Integrity Commissioner. The unproven allegations relate to adherence to club rules, privacy breaches and failure to declare conflicts of interest.

This masthead reported that 24 memberships linked to Kanga and his family were purchased by a single credit card in the lead-up to the MRC’s bitter boardroom battle last year, when he seized control of the $1 billion sporting club. The MRC denied the block of memberships affected the outcome of the club’s September elections and said they did not breach any rules.

Following publication of the story, this masthead was blocked from attending the MRC’s annual general meeting on Thursday night “for repeated attacks on the club and its chair”.

“Accreditation to club events is provided based on professional standards of accuracy and fairness. In our view, your recent coverage has fallen short of those standards,” the MRC said.

“This decision is final, and your invitation and access to the AGM have been withdrawn.”

Racing Minister Anthony Carbines on Thursday said he understood allegations about the MRC had been put to Racing Victoria and the Racing Integrity Commissioner, and he would “let them make assessments”.

“They’ll advise me of any action they think that I need to take as the minister or that they intend to take as the appropriate authorities,” he said.

“I’ll let them do their job. We have very strong integrity measures in the racing industry.”

Carbines noted that the MRC had issued a statement saying it had complied with the rules.

“Changes to club rules often require consultation with the racing minister, so it’s a matter for clubs to make determinations about their rules ... but there is also engagement that needs to be had with other authorities if the changes are made.”

‘He voluntarily withdrew’

Brown, a former City of Dandenong mayor, had intended to stand against Kanga and fellow board members Alison Saville and Frank Polio, who were up for re-election this month.

But following Brown’s withdrawal and the elimination of a second potential candidate, whose nomination was ruled ineligible under the club rules, Kanga, Saville and Polio were re-elected unopposed.

In response to questions from this masthead, the MRC said Brown was not blocked from nominating.

“He voluntarily withdrew his candidacy after refusing to comply with the independent returning officer from CorpVote – an independent organisation engaged by the MRC to oversee the club’s election and nomination process – who required his candidate statement be amended to meet the club’s election rules,” the MRC said in the statement.

“Under the club’s rules, and to ensure fairness, all candidates are required to avoid making statements that are misleading, deceptive or disparage other nominees, committee members or the club.

“Candidate statements are assessed by the independent returning officer to ensure they meet the club’s rules. Amendments are routine, and most candidates make them without issue – Mr Brown chose not to.”

But documents show that Brown did amend his original statement as initially requested and submitted a follow-up 200 word statement to the club. This statement was then redacted by the MRC election committee, reduced to 70 words.

CorpVote said it was unable to comment on the MRC’s election process.

The MRC, which owns the Caulfield, Sandown and Mornington racing clubs, is one of the richest sporting clubs in the country. It owns 112 hectares of land at Sandown Racecourse in Springvale worth more than $600 million and owns 15 poker machine venues that make almost $50 million profit a year.

Brown also claimed he was elected to fill a short-term casual vacancy on the MRC board at a July 7 meeting of the Mornington Advisory Group, a subcommittee that governs Mornington Racecourse, following the resignation of director Barbara Saunders. Brown alleged he was “stonewalled” from taking his seat.

The MRC disputed his claim, saying Brown did not “comply with the established processes” and “any assertion that he was prevented from filling the vacancy is not correct”.

CEO’s son suspended

Across town at Flemington, the teenage son of Victorian Racing Club CEO Kylie Rogers has had his membership suspended for three months for alleged underage drinking in the Flemington Racecourse committee room.

The VRC received an email complaint from a club member alleging that Rogers’ 17-year-old son was drinking in the invite-only area of the racecourse on Makybe Diva Stakes Day on September 17.

The VRC released a statement to say the VCE student had been suspended.

“The VRC prohibits the supply of alcohol to people under 18 and requires strict compliance under its liquor license,” the statement said.

“In line with club policy, we have initiated engagement with the regulator and have suspended the member.

“As the investigation into the VRC’s processes and procedures associated with the responsible service of alcohol is ongoing, the club will not be making any further comment at this point in time.”

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