‘Disgraceful’: Tensions boil over at Nanango Race Club AGM

A torrent of verbal attacks and insults overshadowed the Nanango Race Club’s annual general meeting on Sunday, where the incumbent committee was re-elected amid rising tensions.

Nanango Race Club.

Tensions erupted at the Nanango Race Club’s annual general meeting on Sunday, where verbal clashes overshadowed the re-election of the incumbent committee, and divisions deepened over the club’s controversial decision to close its training track.

The division, which has intensified over the past 18 months, stems from the club’s decision to stop maintaining its training track, which led to its closure by Racing Queensland.

However, club president Andrew Green, who has served in the role for nine years and was re-elected on Sunday, said the issue had escalated far beyond the track.

“It started off as a complaint about our training track,” Mr Green said on Monday.

“They should have complained to us, but instead, they took the complaint to Racing Queensland.”

The track was shut down due to safety concerns.

Mr Green said the club had spent $700,000 on the grounds during his presidency and that he was proud and protective of the high quality of the turf racetrack.

Tensions erupted at the Nanango Race Club’s annual general meeting on Sunday, where verbal clashes overshadowed the re-election of the incumbent committee, and divisions deepened over the club’s controversial decision to close its training track.

The decision to cease maintaining the training track, along with Racing Queensland’s closure of the facility, outraged some members and trainers, who were advised to use other nearby tracks.

It prompted a petition calling for the committee’s removal.

The petition, which gained 274 signatures by September 15, alleged the committee failed to adhere to its responsibilities and made financial missteps.

Mr Green dismissed the broader accusations as “complete and utter slanderous lies” and criticised the petition’s organiser, “Tina Google,” for not using a real name.

“The amount of lies and misinformation being spread is disgraceful,” he said.

He said the group has lodged “hundreds” of complaints with Racing Queensland over the past 18 months.

“We’ve been accused of stealing money … rigging last year’s AGM, apparently, according to them. But a Racing Queensland investigator conducted a full investigation and found no wrongdoing,” he said.

He said getting the training track back up to standard was almost financially impossible for the club.

“A full costing was done, but it’s too much for us to afford,” Mr Green said.

“Racing Queensland doesn’t have unlimited money; they have to spend where they can get the best benefit.”

Tensions reached a boiling point at the AGM on Sunday, with Mr Green describing chaotic scenes.

“Before the meeting even started, a licensee walks in and verbally attacks the vice president,” Mr Green said.

There was no ‘g’day’ or anything. He just made a beeline and started verbally attacking him.”

Club president Andrew Green, a horse trainer for 30 years and president for the past nine years, said the expense of maintaining the training track was too high, and allowing horses to train on the actual turf racing track in Nanango would “strip” it.

He said throughout the meeting, anyone who attempted to speak, including Mr Green’s father and another life member, was “howled down with insults and rudeness.”

“You can’t even talk sense to them. Some of the things they’re complaining about just don’t make sense,” he said.

“All you’re doing is trying to cause chaos, that’s all you’re doing and that’s no good for anything.”

Councillor Linda Little oversaw the vote, which ultimately led to the re-election of the existing committee.

“She said it was a fine, spot-on count and everything was above board,” Mr Green said, adding that he didn’t know the final vote count.

Despite the tensions, Mr Green remained hopeful for the club’s future.

He acknowledged that applying for grants to fix the track could be a solution but noted the competitive nature of such funding.

“What could happen down the track is if we can get enough money together, Racing Queensland might be able to help with the rest,” he said.

“This is a not-for-profit club. We race six times a year. I don’t know why there’s so much drama,” he said.

Reflecting on the situation, Mr Green laughed and said he had his fingers crossed things would calm down soon.

Originally published as ‘Disgraceful’: Tensions boil over at Nanango Race Club AGM