Kingaroy Speedway: Last minute vaccine mandate rule ruins race

‘It’s utterly ridiculous’: Volunteers have been left furious after a last-minute move from Queensland Health, which has cost a speedway thousands in vital revenue. Here’s what happened:

Queensland Health has been blasted after an apparent U-turn at the last minute cost a Queensland racing club thousands in revenue, and left organisers furious over inconsistent advice.

Kingaroy Speedway was well prepared for a bumper end to the year at their December 18 meet and believed everything was in order.

Organiser Tanya Barron said she contacted Queensland Health in early December to confirm whether the speedway would need to require vaccination proof, as the speedway is situated in the Kingaroy Showgrounds

Ms Barron said she was told at the time that while the speedway was on showground property they were classed under the stadiums provision and could accept both vaccinated and unvaccinated attendees as they were expecting less than 5000.

But less than 24 hours before gates opened, she said Darling Downs Health informed the speedway that it was now required to mandate vaccines, throwing the meeting into chaos.

“I just kept saying, ‘no … that can’t be happening’,” Ms Barron said.

“We have over 100 competitors coming. This is supposed to be quite a big speedway for us.”

Ms Barron said she wasn’t given any explanation about why the change was being made.

The result was nearly empty stands and a huge financial loss for the not-for-profit club.

“We lost thousands of dollars in revenue, we ran at a huge loss,” Ms Barron said.

All the more galling is the fact that speedways in Toowoomba and Maryborough were running as normal, due to the simple fact they operated on private property.

“We feel like there’s no difference. You stand in our venue and you stand in one of the other speedways’ venues, and we’re exactly the same thing,” she said.

Kingaroy Speedway’s Tanya Barron. Picture: Dominic Elsome

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington was equally shocked by the inconsistent rules, and said urgent clarification was needed with more events facing uncertainty.

“The rules in relation to showgrounds just don’t make sense, especially as other events can go ahead without mandates at other similar venues,” Mrs Frecklington said.

“Showgrounds are large, outdoor venues, but for some reason they have been singled out by this city-centric Labor Government who just don’t understand how showgrounds are used by the community in regional areas.

“Why can Speedways in other towns can go ahead just because they’re not held at showgrounds?”

The local member has written to the Health Minister, and called for the government to rethink the rules on events at showgrounds.

Ms Barron said until they had some clarity, she was holding off on promoting the clubs King Royal Speedway event in January, as she needed to know if it would be financially viable.

“All people want is consistency,” she said.

Queensland Health was contacted for comment.