Racing club tension rises between key figureheads

Albany Racing Club general manager Tony Marwick says he has lost faith in the committee and is evaluating his position as tensions within the club continue to rise. Racing and Wagering WA chief executive Richard Burt said he was confident the ARC would work through ongoing governance dramas despite a battle between key figureheads in the club. Mr Burt and RWWA racing general manager Charlotte Mills spent January 17 in Albany, holding meetings with general manager Tony Marwick, the committee and members. Albany trainer Roy Rogers was recently appointed president of the ARC that also has several new committee members. One of the seven committee members has since resigned. Mr Burt said there were concerns about the governance of the ARC but after speaking to relevant parties he was confident the club was moving towards an outcome. “The issues to come out have been well aired by members, committee and the general manager,” Mr Burt said on January 17. “The type of things between committee and management are pretty straightforward and its turned out to be fairly operational. I think what we’ve got here is a breakdown in communication and what we’ve been able to do is put things back on track. “If it was off-track, it’s only off-track marginally. Tony is the general manager, the current committee are very committed and I think they are going to make a go of it, I’m very confident of that.” However Mr Marwick said yesterday that he feared for the ARC. “I have serious concerns about the future of the race club,” Mr Marwick said. “I don’t have faith in (the) current committee and there has already been one resignation. “I’ll evaluate (my position) ongoing but I can’t see it working.” Mr Rogers said he was frustrated by the negative talk. “I’ve vowed to do the right thing by the race club and its members,” Mr Rogers said. “I was voted in democratically. “I am sick of the negatives, the thoughts and comments. We are a young committee and the members need to get behind the board and the general manager. “The club needs to be nurtured not destroyed by individuals.” Mr Burt said RWWA had options if the situation worsened. “There was no lack of confidence, no vote of no confidence and generally people want a more positive, forward facing club,” he said. “We support racing in Albany and Mt Barker and have no intention of not racing here. “If things got dire, and they’d have to go dramatically more off-track, at any club we have the powers to be able to not race at a venue or withhold funding but that would be a last resort. “As I made it clear to the members, we are nowhere near that.”