Sacked Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Dale St George loses bid for unfair dismissal case

AN unfair dismissal application by sacked turf club boss Dale St George has been rejected by the Fair Work Commission.

Former Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Dale St George. Picture Mike Batterham

AN unfair dismissal application by sacked turf club boss Dale St George has been rejected by the Fair Work Commission.

Mr St George, a former CEO of the exclusive Tattersalls men’s club in Brisbane, was sacked while on probation in July, just eight months into the role.

Despite record attendance at events including the Magic Millions, the club recorded a deficit of $2.5 million last financial year, compared to a surplus of $11.5 million the previous year.

In the latest annual report, treasurer Trent Watson revealed the club’s revenue was down to $15.5 million from $27.2 million the previous year and blamed “management changes” for increased administration costs of $709,187.

“Further to this, employee remuneration also increased by 16 per cent, or $1,022,446,” he wrote.

“Finger-scanning software has recently been introduced to streamline the processing of employee remuneration.”

The software requires staff clock in and out for shifts using their fingerprints.

Former Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Dale St George.

Mr St George, now an executive general manager at Sanctuary Cove, could not be contacted for comment but as he left the club said they had made the wrong decision.

“I believe the direction I had planned to take the club, with getting additional revenue streams, changing the culture, changing the code and the principles that the club operates on, was the right way to go, and I think I had the full support of Racing Queensland and the majority of members,” he said.

“If it is going to just rely on racing it is not going to work.”

Fair Work Senior Deputy President Lea Drake dismissed his application for unfair dismissal action, finding he earned over the high income threshold of $138,900; that no enterprise agreement applied and that he was not covered by a modern award.

One of Mr St George’s first moves in the role was to dump Richard Towson as general manager and replace him with former Moe Racing Club operations manager Marnie Ballard.

Ms Ballard left the club shortly after Mr St George and new CEO Steve Lines was appointed in October. Mr Towson was interim CEO for four months and is now chief operating officer.

Gold Coast Turf Club chairman Brett Cook.

Turf club chairman Brett Cook said the former CEO’s attempt to take unfair dismissal action was “a total waste of time” from the beginning.

He said the club had enjoyed “a dramatic turnaround” under the tenure of Mr Lines.