WA agrees to new track

The Western Australian Government is receptive to a state of the art motorsport precinct being built in the state after a series of high level talks in Perth in the last two days.
There was a standing commitment from the Government that it would do all that is possible to retain V8 Supercars in Western Australia beyond the current 2009 contract date.

The Government will appoint a consultant to investigate the feasibility of a new world class facility in Perth or the complete upgrade of the existing Barbagallo Raceway to an international standard as part of an over-arching motorsport precinct.

V8 Supercars Australia Chief Executive Wayne Cattach met with West Australian Sports Minister John Kobelke, the Department of Sport Recreation and the Wanneroo City Council to find an agreed resolution to the inadequate motorsport facilities in the state.

“The Minister totally agreed that motorsport in the state had been under-serviced for many years and made a very strong and very real commitment to addressing the problem,” Mr Cattach said.

“He had a clear understanding of the magnitude of the sport and the need to find a suitable venue and management structure to develop motorsport in the state.

“Minister Kobelke also agreed that a brand new motorsport precinct and the concept of a motorsport park provided an excellent business opportunity for the state.”

Mr Cattach said that both options of a greenfield site and a complete revamp of Barbagallo would be subject to an independent review and subsequent recommendations.

He added that the timeframes were critical with the Government committing to appoint the consultant within the next week.

“We made it very clear that there is a very tight timeframe for a decision to get a positive outcome if we are to return after our current contract expires in 2009,” he said.

Mr Cattach said the Government’s commitment to sport in general, illustrated by a $1.1 billion football stadium development, was clear and that motorsport fans deserved the same.

“It is now apparent that motorsport has long suffered from having an ineffective lobby that has not been able to state a case despite the magnitude of the sport in the state,” Mr Cattach said.

“When you look at what is being spent in the state it shows that the Government really understands the importance of sport in the landscape of the west.”

Mr Cattach said the Mayor of the City of Wanneroo Jon Kelly and the State Member for Wanneroo Dianne Guise were totally supportive of the bid to establish an international standard complex.

The Wanneroo City Council will also conduct a full and thorough review of the management structure of the current circuit after V8 Supercars Australia expressed grave concerns about the level of professionalism of the organisation.

“Quite clearly they want to retain the event for the City of Wanneroo but they also recognise the gross short comings of the Barbagallo circuit,” Mr Cattach said.

“We also expressed concern about the quality of management and the constant political upheavals that seem to occur in the running of the circuit which is not conducive to the proper or professional operation of the business.”

The council confirmed that there would be no further residential development around the existing 1000 hectare site and their desire to transform the area into a world class motorsport complex with associated industrial parks in the surrounds.