South Australia Harness Racing Club under investigation by Consumer and Business Services
South Australia’s peak harness racing club — which owes millions of dollars in overdue loans — is under official investigation over internal probity and governance issues.
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AN official investigation is under way into the state’s peak harness racing club that operates Globe Derby Park.
State Government agency Consumer and Business Services (CBS) is examining a complaint against SA Harness Racing Club president Ann Mowday.
Four members of the club’s committee lodged the complaint under the Associations Incorporation Act last week, after Mrs Mowday called a special general meeting to vote on whether to put the financially troubled club into voluntary administration.
The members claimed Mrs Mowday – who has vowed to vote against the move – had sent a letter to the club’s 185 members calling the meeting without their authority.
Their complaint is the latest in a series of letters sent by club members to Attorney-General Vickie Chapman raising probity and governance issues with the SAHRC.
A Government spokeswoman said the concerns had resulted in CBS investigating “a number of allegations against the South Australian Harness Racing Club”.
“The investigation did not find sufficient evidence of a breach of the Associations Incorporation Act,” she said.
“CBS has received a new complaint regarding internal governance of the association, which is under consideration.”
The CBS investigation will examine recent events within the SAHRC, including the rejection of a formal request by the sport’s governing body, Harness Racing SA, to go into voluntary administration.
The organisation’s chairman George Fiacchi also has asked CBS to investigate how the SAHRC had refused to provide its financial records for independent assessment.
Opposition racing spokeswoman Katrine Hildyard said she had been raising questions about the governance and financial status of the SAHRC with Ms Chapman since 2018.
“Harness racing is an important part of the South Australian racing industry and Globe Derby is a key part of its viability,” she said.
“Too many workers rely on harness racing for the Attorney-General and Racing Minister Corey Wingard to continue to ignore this issue.”
Ms Hildyard said it was important the issues embroiling the SAHRC were resolved to safeguard the future of harness racing within SA.
“The Government must intervene to protect the integrity and future of the sport, and to ensure the highest standards of probity and transparency are upheld,” she said.
“Ignoring this issue as the Marshall Government has done so far will not make it go away – it hasn’t in the past, and it won’t in the future. ”
Ms Mowday has not responded to several requests for comment.