SAJC ‘saviour’ Bill Spear hospitalised as club sues over ‘secret’ $400m housing project at Morphettville
A South Australian Jockey Club member being sued by the club has been rushed to hospital as details of the court case are finally been revealed.
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The man widely regarded as the ‘saviour’ of the South Australian Jockey Club has been taken to hospital as court documents reveal a $400m plan for a housing estate at Morphettville racecourse is the reason he is being sued by the club.
Bill Spear, who was admitted to Flinders Hospital on Tuesday, is one of four defendants in the court case brought by the club that alleges the “unauthorised misuse and disclosure of confidential board information.”
The 85-year-old accountant last year publicly demanded the SAJC spend no more money on the venture that could see up to 1000 new homes built and the demolition of The Junction hotel on Anzac Highway — without “full disclosure”.
The former deputy chairman of the SAJC argued that six years after the project for 12 storey apartment buildings on the racecourse was first raised, club members “remain in the dark”.
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Court documents seen by The Advertiser show the SAJC is seeking a permanent injunction to stop Mr Spear, sacked board member Kevin Harrison, his wife Anne, and club life member Joe Cannizzaro from revealing any further details about the housing development.
The SAJC alleges Mr Spear’s assertion that $400,000 was budgeted for consultants on the project in 2019/20 could only have been sourced from a board member.
It further alleges Mr Harrison was that person and in passing on the information he had breached his obligations as a director under the Associations Incorporations Act 1985 (SA).
Mr Harrison asserts that under the SAJC’s constitution he had every right to discuss matters with Mr Spear as an “independent adviser” with a solid financial background and experience of racing administration.
The Advertiser understands the legal wrangle, that began more than nine months ago, has already cost more than $500,000 between the parties.
But the SAJC’s statement of claim reveals the club is not seeking any damages from the defendants.
It is seeking “remedies” including that Mr Harrison concedes he breached the Act as well as the club’s Code of Conduct and that the other three defendants concede they have received confidential board information and that they won’t reveal what it contained.
The SAJC is also expected to seek repayment of its substantial legal costs.
The SAJC statement confirms Mr Spear’s claim the club spent $16,000 “cleaning up weeds” in the executive carpark and that it had a proposal to spend $8m to build 100 racing stables at Morphettville.
SAJC CEO Grant Mayer said he couldn’t make specific comment on the case.
“They (the defendants) have until around the end of the month to respond to our claims and the board will consider it all from there,” he said.
The case is expected to resume on May 28.
Justice Soulio hearing the case has so far closed the court for most of the proceedings including a discussion around whether Mr Mayer could be cross-examined about his affidavit.
Mr Spear, who survived a major operation to remove a cancerous tumour earlier this year, is undergoing tests in Flinders after concerns he has suffered a stroke.
A family friend told The Advertiser the court case had taken a “massive toll” on Mr Spear’s mental and physical health.
He first came to public prominence as the whistleblower who took the SAJC to the Supreme Court over vote-stacking at its 2008 board election.
The resultant inquiry saw the entire nine-member board sacked and a police investigation into a range of allegations against senior club officials.
Police recommended prosecution of three club members but no charges were laid.