Prominent members of South Australian Jockey Club being sued by the race club — but don’t know why
The SAJC is suing several club members — including two life members — but bizarrely, those facing court action remain in the dark over what it is all about.
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The man who sued the South Australian Jockey Club over a vote-stacking election scandal is himself being sued 10 years later by the state’s premier racing club — but he doesn’t know why.
Bill Spear, a former deputy chair of the SAJC, was astonished to be told by The Advertiser this week he was one of four people named in court action by the racing club as he had received no formal notification.
The SAJC sought an interlocutory application in front of Justice Soulio in the District Court yesterday (Tuesday) against current board member Kevin Harrison and Joe Cannizzaro and Mr Spear; who are both life members of the racing club based at Morphettville racecourse.
Mr Harrison’s wife, Anne Harrison is the fourth person named in the action but is not a SAJC member.
Mr Cannizzaro is on holiday but the other three defendants attended the court — however were not permitted to hear the proceedings.
‘I still don’t know what’s going on because we got thrown out,” Mr Spear, 84, said.
“John Caruso (SAJC board member) and I walked in and were told, this is a closed court and you’re not involved.
“The judge said the hearings were “ex parte” (for one party only) but I’m told that term is only used when it’s an emergency situation. And I can’t see an emergency here.
“I’m part of the action so I can’t see why I couldn’t be in there. I simply don’t understand. It’s bizarre.”
In a statement to The Advertiser SAJC CEO Grant Mayer, formerly the CEO of Adelaide United soccer club, said the club had “sought and received” injunctions against four individuals.
He said the matter was “an issue of governance” but did not give any specific details.
“The SAJC board have tried to work through these issues by way of training, discussions, counselling and a number of less intrusive options over the past 18 months but to no avail,” the statement reads.
Mr Harrison said he was “rattled by the court action especially as his wife is battling with cancer.
“She’s having chemotherapy at the moment and is deeply distressed about being brought into this,” Mr Harrison said.
“This has affected her badly and she’s not even a member of the club.
‘The gloves are off now though and I’m sure the membership will want to know how much is this costing the club?”
Mr Harrison said he couldn’t comment further but had engaged solicitors.
In an article in The Advertiser in July, Mr Spear, widely regarded as the SAJC’s ‘saviour’ because of his intervention in the election scandal, revealed the club’s “secret” plans for a $400m 12-storey residential and retail development at Morphettville.
The accountant claimed the project could jeopardise the club’s future and that $500,000 had already been spent on consultants on the project with another $400,000 listed in this year’s budget.
He called a special general meeting of the club’s 1300-strong membership with a resolution that members must approve all masterplan expenditure but lost his motion failing to receive the required majority vote of members in attendance.
Mr Spear 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.
Prominent lawyer Greg Griffin is representing the SAJC in the current proceedings against Mr Spear.
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The former Adelaide United chairman represented Mr Spear against the Jockey Club during the election scandal and in a subsequent cause when he settled a defamation settlement of $75,000 against former SAJC board member Alistair McFarlane.
“I suppose I’ll have to find myself another lawyer,” Mr Spear added.
“But it looks like we’ll be making history as this is the first time in 150 years the club has taken court action against its own members.”
Mr Griffin said he had no comment to make on the case.
