Melbourne Racing Club stands firm on John Kanga’s board takeover bid

The Melbourne Racing Club is stepping up its fight to stop John Kanga from calling a special general meeting to spill the board.

MRC chairman Matt Cain says there are “concerns with the validity” of John Kanga’s attempt to call a special general meeting. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Melbourne Racing Club chairman Matt Cain has launched an impassioned rebuke of a John Kanga-led board takeover bid and confirmed its democratic election process would proceed towards an annual general meeting on September 26.

Kanga last month submitted a motion for a special general meeting to spill the MRC board before an AGM and essentially control the balance of power.

Cain, in a letter to members Tuesday, said the committee has “concerns with the validity” of the Kanga faction’s SGM proposal.

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“Let’s be clear, the proposed SGM is NOT about voting on the location of the Caulfield Mounting Yard, the Caulfield Master Plan and Grand Pavilion, or the future of racing at Sandown Racecourse,” Cain wrote.

“Mr Kanga’s faction’s motion for the proposed meeting is to take control of the Club by asking members to vote to approve amendments to the Club Rules to allow the appointment of a block of Mr Kanga’s associates to a majority of the seats on the Committee outside of the normal election process.

“The Kanga faction wants this rule change to get you to hand over your democratic right to an equal say in the running and future of the MRC by changing the rules to put all power in his hands and those who back him.

“Your Committee has concerns with the validity of what has been proposed for the SGM and is working hard to understand how it may impact your rights as members. We are taking Mr Kanga’s bid for control very seriously.”

Cain said the committee has written to Kanga, a fellow director added to the board last year as a replacement, outside of an general election, for clarification on various other aspects of what has been proposed.

“We are waiting for his response,” Cain said.

John Kanga (left) is seeking a spill of the MRC board. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Kanga released a statement shortly after the MRC letter was sent to members.

“It’s disappointing Matt Cain has sought in his message to members to attack me personally rather than deal with the issues that, overwhelmingly, the members want sorted,” Kanga said.

“To suggest I am seeking to take over the club is offensive. All I want is to have a board that is aligned on the key issues that members continually tell me they want resolved: the mounting yard, keeping racing at Sandown and ensuring we don’t waste more money by building a white elephant grandstand.

“If the AGM goes ahead on September 26, I will be calling on the newly elected committee members to join me on these key issues and I am confident this will be the case.

“My aim is to have a united board, something that hasn’t occurred at the MRC for a long time.

“Matt has now sent out four emails to members in the last week or so, trying to spin a narrative that no-one believes and which most people would simply find bemusing. He should just let them vote.”

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The Kanga faction, including directors Caitrin Kelly and Alison Saville, has tried to force an SGM before the official AGM process, set to start from September 10-24 and election on September 26.

Kanga wanted an SGM on Thursday to endorse a rule change reducing the tenure of members – from a minimum three years down to six months – wanting to apply for board elections.

“There is no legal obligation for the meeting to be called this week,” Cain said in the statement to members.

“The MRC belongs to all of its members and we will pursue every avenue to protect your rights and the democratic governance that underpins them.

‘Our annual Committee election process will run as planned … I encourage you to exercise your democratic right to elect your Committee representatives through this process.”

Cain reiterated the committee’s position on the Caulfield mounting yard, grandstand development and potential sale of Sandown, which Kanga and supporters previously endorsed.

“The MRC is a member-led organisation and the committee is listening to and working with members and stakeholders to fine tune its plans,” Cain said.

“We are also determined not to allow any of the noise being generated by the Kanga faction to disrupt or detract from what will be an incredible Spring Carnival.

“We are all passionate about racing and that’s what should always unite us.”

Originally published as Melbourne Racing Club stands firm on John Kanga’s board takeover bid