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Letter of the Week

More to the story

Thanks to Dale Scott (27/6) for reading and replying to my letter in relation to the kneejerk reaction of the Queensland Government in sacking the state’s very efficient racing board in the aftermath of the live-baiting scandal.
From previous letters over the months I believe Dale and I agree in principle with many aspects of our great industry and pastime.
However, like myself, I believe Dale may be writing from knowledge gained from the media, and perhaps, being a Victorian and possibly denied access to all Queensland news, he missed the article the day after the reported millions in blowouts where the chairman of the sacked board, Kevin Dixon, dismissed reports of a looming $21 million deficit.
Dixon stated that Queensland Racing’s finances, while still in deficit (inherited in the first place) were nowhere near as bad as conveyed in that story, and were on track to profitability in the near future.
As for the problems with Eagle Farm, I have read locally that major unpredicted engineering difficulties have been encountered with the projects, and in particular the tunneling under the course proper in at least two separate areas.
In my daily routine I frequently travel down Nudgee Road (which separates Eagle Farm and Doomben) and have pulled into the area adjacent to the Eagle Farm course proper near one of the major tunnel works.
There is a lot of activity in that area, while earthmoving equipment on other parts of the dug-up course proper lies idle, no doubt unable to contribute until the tunnel problems have been resolved.
These are day-to-day matters that affect boards of all companies from time to time.
Do you think, Dale, that they deserved the sacking with less than 24 hours consideration by the present government, on matters of integrity associated with live baiting in the greyhound code?
This government has now left racing in this state without governance for more than three weeks after the event, and has failed to respond to questions or even comment on who is going to run Queensland racing and how.

Paul Connors
Brighton (Qld)
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Friday 29 March
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