Weasel

and if Western cultures don't flex back China will see that as weakness and take a little bit more land/influence somewhere else

and/or partner up with TABCORP or other Oz agency and get rid of their FOB platform/crap agreement

how the flock are people supposed to read this. For god's sake, NZ Racing or whoever releases this, present important information i a readable format!!!

this is exactly the kid of turgid, complicated, impossible to negotiate red tape BS that is part of the reason NZ Racing is so poorly governed. We cant even write new legislation to extricate ourselves from the mire! NO CLUB will have the patience or the funds to tackle the legal nonsense, and will end up either surrendering, walking away or going broke ...exactly the outcome sought by the writers of the legislation!

and shed it they must. Partner with tabcorp immediately and get realistic!

what's another $50M in the context of this COL government post-Covid??...they'll do whatever Winnie wants to get re-elected, while Winnie distances himself from Labour in order to curry favour from the Nat/ACT supporters going in to the election.Racing industry fans had better vote for Winnie again, cos the Nats did nothing useful in 9 years

Greg You do sound like an apologist for RITA. If RITA were truly committed to transparency and turning the foundering ship around, they would have released the Half Yearly Report i the last month or so. Why? Because it would give a fair 'snapshot' to all stakeholders of the State of The Industry. RITA have chosen not to release it, on the grounds that it's not a mandatory requirement. Yet the unaudited Report was completed pre-Covid and released to stakeholders, so what's the problem with finalising the process (ie getting the books audited, then released) in the usual way? We are left to speculate that important facts are being hidden.

Greg, you said: .. RITA have no obligation to produce half year report and i'd suggest they have far more important things to do. It would hardly be worth the paper it was written on given business changes and covid revenue effects during the period the report would have covered. FACT: THERE ARE NO EFFECTS ON REVENUE OF COVID FOR THE HALF-YEARLY REPORT WHICH COVERS AUG 2019-JAN 2020 The following info received from TAB spokesperson last week by someone I know: It is anticipated that we'll be in a position to release the half year financial results at the same time we provide information on next year's budget. This will be after the Board meeting at the end of the month. We will not be releasing a voluntary Half Year Report in the same format that was released last year ... (my emphasis) translation/my opinion: RITA is going to use the Covid issue to avoid revealing to its stakeholders how much strife they were in pre-Covid. This will allow them to hide the truth and shift the blame for their insolvency on things beyond their control

Hastings IS the provinces!!! I think Gisborne has done the right thing, though ultimately should merge with HBRC.. the population base is just too small; the area too isolated ad the costs too high to continue to race at Gisborne. Thats why they sold the land and invested the cash; Only travel subsidies etc kept them viable these last 10 years. If the locals want to go to their local course, hold an equalisator meeting ...a good day out as long as there are enough thoroughbreds in the area ..oh, hang on, there aren't! Adapt or die. Gisy have adapted well...just gotta keep their hands on their cash

It doesn't matter whether or not it's a statutory requirement - my thinking was that under the circumstances of RITA's existence in the first place, there'd be some rigorous reporting procedures back to the Minister who brought them into being, for all the right reasons - not the least of which is finding out the true state of the finances. My understanding is that an unaudited Report was given to the heads of the racing codes in mid-March, that's just prior to lockdown. Did they not continue with the process? The half-yearly Report (audited) is typically made available at the end of April/early May. Has RITA released an audited Half-Yearly Report to the heads of the codes since mid-March, or has Covid been used to justify not doing so? We know about the bailout, of course, but surely Stakeholders are entitled to see the stats as at the end of January 2020 ?

And before you rave about no half year report why bother as it would be largely irrelevant The very late Half-Yearly Report Aug 2019-Jan 2020 covers the pre-Covid performance and would give us an accurate comprehensive picture of the State of the Industry just before Covid impacted on Revenue. Besides, I expect the delivery of the Report is a statutory requirement for obvious reasons. What possible excuse can they have for not having delivered it to the Minister and/or publishing it to their Stakeholders?

no way. He was vaunted as the ideal guy to sort out the sh*t and when the going gets tough he's very low-profile...havent see him on TV News through this bailout promoting the industry/jobs/people/horse welfare/owners or breeders interests ..nothing ..and to allow the demise of TRACKSIDE RADIO, one of the pivotal media platforms to keep industry alive and well-informed is bloody criminal.

they clearly havent heard of Zoom

AJC can CHOOSE to merge, can't they? Negotiate a deal for a merger that guarantees them recognition of their proud heritage/contribution in the past and INVEST in the industry's future by applying the proceeds from voluntarily selling their land for the survival/growth of racing in Auckland. They need to stop thinking tribally/parochially and create a workable solution with ARC (and/or Counties). eg ...Australian Clubs own hotels, clubs etc where pokies revenue yields a fortune every year for them ...eg Melbourne Racing Club (Sandown/Caulfield tracks) got about $20M in the 2018/19 Fin Yr.

When was the AJC grandstand built? When did it last get any R&M done to it? Why did it fall into a state of disrepair (eyesore material)? It strikes me that the current situation is a bit like the 'white man' arriving in droves to overwhelm the native American Indians in the 19th century. Fight and die, or come in to the reservation AJC - get the best deal you can for your members in perpetuity, protect and promote the rich AJC heritage from a new base etc ... cos you are not going to be racing at Avondale any time soon - whether or not the 'land grab' is successful. Better to use the value of the asset(s) to play a significant role in horse racing (via merger) than be irrelevant forevermore and your hard-earned asset(s) handed over to 'charity'. You cant beat em so you may as well join em.

dont know, but crowd size at provincial meetings is not as much an issue as facilities for major carnivals/days. Why did they modernise Randwick in the last 5 years? PROGRESSIVE PLANNING/THINKING AHEAD. centralising resources/facilities in appropriate places. NZ does not need more than 2 racetracks in Greater Auckland, but if the showcase carnivals for the forseeable are going to include Auckland (and they must, cos that's where most people live), Avondale has to go, cos its got the least going for it ad the most going against it.

Because Ellerslie doesnt need to pull its Grandstand(s) down ans has invested in upgrading facilities. If Avondale had done the prudent thing 20-30 years ago - built decent facilities for its members and racegoers - it' would've had a stronger case for retention as a venue going forward. But its heed is now above the parapet as an obvious target for rationalisation.

you have to have at least one 'flagship' track/club in your biggest city...but you don't need three in a population of 1.5m or whatever Greater Auckland is. Avondale has by far the worst, ugliest facilities of the three in the big smoke. ad the land is worth a fortune for housing. You HAVE to grow/ improve Ellerslie site. Money from Avondale asset (land) could be used to make Ellerslie like Randwick, with Counties the back-up. If Avondale JC members are too 'tribal' to take the sensible option, they deserve what's purportedly coming at them - compulsory acquisition.!

I have very limited sympathy for Avondale JC members, who have consistently failed to address the 'elephant in the room' - ie their appalling facilities, starting with the main Grandstand from Hell. A disgrace and symbolic of the decline in the Club's fortunes. Is there a good reason why they have not bowled it over long before now and built a new one? Don't tell me...no money!? Best thing they can do at Avondale now is sell the land, negotiate the best deal for members into a merged NEW ORGANISATION with Auckland RC and/or Counties, pool their resources, and INVEST IN NEW FACILITIES/SERVICES at the TWO courses that will be used over the next 50+ years.

They don’t all of a sudden develop an interest in racing when they are in their 40’s and start punting on horses. oh yes they do ... two mates of mine discovered horse racing as owners in their 60s, hadnt been to a racetrack in decades. didnt know the difference between a hock and a hack

and the lack of permanent fibre connection is the reason the best winter racing surface in the north (Ruakaka) is not on the calendar! Ruakaka hosts at least 4 meetings in June/July, track hardly ever worse than a Dead 6

Prior to COVID-19 we already had a lean organisation How can this statement go unchallenged?

..and Tavistock leaves a Group 1 Oaks winner and a Galleywood Hurdle winner in the same week. RIP

the ones with any brains and time on their side will be off to Aussie

all fair enough... but one upside of the 'distancing and hand-washing' mantra is the huge reduction in exchange of germs of all kinds in and across all age groups. Grandads not being infected by their kids/grandkids etc ...leads to less pressure on health system/resources etc ...I predict fewer Kiwis will die of influenza this year than any single year in the last 20-25 years