Cycling in Sydney Australia
V8 Supercars at Homebush Bay
Last night I attended a meeting of concerned Newington residents to discuss the V8 Supercar race decision, as announced by Nathan Rees yesterday. I am not a Newington resident, but attended with about six other concerneced cyclists wanting to find out what is going on. There was also a representative from the Total Environment Centre, Leigh Martin at the meeting, who offered a lot of constructive advice. The residetns are getting themselves organised, but lack any funding whatsoever, so I hope we cyclists can lend our support in whatever way possible. I want to use this Group on Sydney Cyclist as a way of disseminating information as it comes to hand - from the Newington residents' action group.
Several matters are of concern:
1. Even though "just a three day race", the effectsof setting up this racing environment may extend to other motor groups holding races on the tracks - such as Speedcars and motor bikes, etc.
2. Amateur drivers may be inspired to drive dangerously around Homebush Bay when the races are officially over, thus endagering public lives - cyclists, pedestrians, other drivers.
3. 1200 truckloads of concrete barriers travelling along local roads is going to damage those local roads. Who pays for the road repair? Local councils - who have voiced their opposition to this decision.
4. Nathan Rees said he cannot release the briefing material that showed the Government would get a return of $30mllion on this investment. There is no legal reason why he does not release that information - so what is he hiding?
5. Nathan Rees refused to release the contract with V8 Supercars, even though last year the Government legislated to require publication of all contracts with a value of more than $5 million. Again, what is he hiding?
6. it would appear that this "development " has been approved without a full investigation of its affects on people, the environment, property values or even the viability of the proposal. Why the rush?
Several matters are of concern:
1. Even though "just a three day race", the effectsof setting up this racing environment may extend to other motor groups holding races on the tracks - such as Speedcars and motor bikes, etc.
2. Amateur drivers may be inspired to drive dangerously around Homebush Bay when the races are officially over, thus endagering public lives - cyclists, pedestrians, other drivers.
3. 1200 truckloads of concrete barriers travelling along local roads is going to damage those local roads. Who pays for the road repair? Local councils - who have voiced their opposition to this decision.
4. Nathan Rees said he cannot release the briefing material that showed the Government would get a return of $30mllion on this investment. There is no legal reason why he does not release that information - so what is he hiding?
5. Nathan Rees refused to release the contract with V8 Supercars, even though last year the Government legislated to require publication of all contracts with a value of more than $5 million. Again, what is he hiding?
6. it would appear that this "development " has been approved without a full investigation of its affects on people, the environment, property values or even the viability of the proposal. Why the rush?
Tags: environment, nathan, rees, supercars
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lzzter on -
I'm surprised the State Government can give the go-ahead to a project without a full assessment of its effects on the environment and on local traffic (ie cyclists have been given no consideration in traffic assessments). It looks like state laws need changing to stop future governments impulsively launching projects without assessing the effects.
The State Government also misjudged the political fallout. They think it will annoy local residents, and they think they can withstand a local political fallout. They have not considered a wider voter discontent, as people come from all over Sydney to use Olympic Park / Homebush Bay. A large percentage of these people are cyclists.
Consider this. The Bay To Bay cycleway (Airport -> Homebush Bay) finishes at Olympic Park, and connects to the the Hombush Bay -> Parramatta Cycleway (which follows the M4). The most direct way to travel from one cycleway to the other is through the middle of Olympic Park, near Homebush Bay railway station (not far from Telstra Stadium). I assume this route will be blocked to cyclists when V8 Supercars are screaming around the circuit.
The park is a place of peace and tranquillity. It's the hub of multiple cycleways in the area. There's birdlife you don't normally see in an urban area. V8 hooncars are bad news.
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Permalink Reply by Jonathon Troy on -
The thing that gets me about the decision is that even the motor sports groups believe that Eastern Creek should be the venue not Olympic Park. Are NSW Police going to have a permanent presence at Olympic Park given that "Amateur drivers may be inspired to drive dangerously around Homebush Bay"? I have worked at ANZ stadium during football games etc and they only have a minor office on the ground floor of the Stadium. It has been enough to make me consider leaving NSW for the greener pastures of the ACT!
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Permalink Reply by ACE on -
Whilst I agree with the Eastern Creek perspective, issue is likely to be the lack of public transport. Still this is not reason for Rees to damage Sydney Olympic Park.
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Permalink Reply by Peter H on -
I wouldn't say there is a lack of public transport to Eastern Creek. It can be serviced by Doonside station. The track is about 4.5 Km from the station. A shuttle bus could carry passengers to and from the track, or they could even walk there from the station.
My opinion is have the motor racing in either of Sydney's existing race tracks, Eastern Creek or Oran park. If they need improvement then let the government "invest" in their upgrade. Sydney does not need a third track.
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Permalink Reply by Jonathon Troy on
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I would also challenge the $30 million return. With the Police + Emergency Services costs covered by the NSW not to mention the compensation to businesses based in Olympic Park for the disruption caused by race (as well as the decline in value of the real estate (residential and commercial in the Olympic Park area) I would say that the return will be a decline.
What can we do?
Rees is allegedly going to be campaigning in the by-elections for Ryde (not too far from Olympic Park). It would be good if we could get cyclists to meet with Rees over the issue (he had no problems doing the same to John Hewson in 1993) while he is campagning.
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Permalink Reply by KimR on -
What annoys me most about this is that it is presented to the public in a devious way. The governement states that it will return more money to NSW than they invest, so how can anyone be against that? But they don't release the modelling or the contract details, so we don't know if this is true.
The same strategy was applied to he Cross City and Lane Cove tunnels. Over optmisitic forecasts (build it and they will come) saw the project launchced and the advisors make lots of money. In the end the investors lost heaps, at least it didn't cost the tax payers too much.
V8 races in Canbera lost money and many question if the Melbounre F1 Grand Prix is still worthwhile. Also, the huge down turn for US car makers has seen Ford Austrlia reduce the number of V8 Suprcar teams they are now sponsoring. So NSW may be investing in a form of racing that is starting to fade away.
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Permalink Reply by Adrian on -
I had a very frank discussion with Nicole Campbell (ALP candidate for Ryde) this morning as she was campaigning at eastwood station. Ironically, she was the sustainabiliy manger for the Sydney Olympic Park Authority for the last 10 years and has made her opposition to the plan known to the Premier. She told me that this had come at cost to her and that the ALP state office had pulled her campaign funding because of it.
I asked her why they wanted to build it at SOP and her answer really supprised me. The hotels! Apparently the main problem with eastern creek is not the public transport (we are talking rev heads here), but a lack of hotels for people involving in the racing and potential tourists. Or perhaps the existing hotels want to drum up some business. I was in Townsville a few months ago and exactly the same V8 supercar debate was happening up there. It seems to me that the racing organisers travel around trying to sell there wares to stupid governments looking for a quick economic boost.
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Permalink Reply by MadameBike on -
I think there are more reasons than just the Hotels (though that is definitely one "good" reason). The NSW minister responsible for pushing this is Ian McDonald who is a farmer. Apparently the RAS (Royal Agricultural Society), which owns the buildings used in the Easter Show, has been given about $120 million for upgrades and is profiting from leasing out buildings during the V8 event to other motoring groups who will be displaying and selling motoring accessories etc.
There is apparently part of the proposed race track route which goes between the new CBA building and the railway station. An architect who was at Monday night's meeting said that the road there is too narrow for a race track. That is the kind of thing that should have been worked out prior to any announcement. My experience with this kind thing tells me that once the "in principle" approval has been given and contracts negotiated, they push ahead regardless. Then they could move the track to another even more invasive location if they can't fit say, between the Bank and the Railway station.
Many of the trees they are going to remove are on the median strip at the back of the Easter Show complex. Those trees inhibit visibility to some extent and are a natural speed inhibitor to cars driving around Olympic Park. With those trees removed, a "nice" wide road will be created. I can imagine every "boy racer" in Sydney congregating over at Homebush on a Saturday night, drag racing, street racing, etc. That's going to become a nightmare for police (not to mention locals or people attending other venues in the Park).
The only sticking point in this whole idea is the SOPA (Sydney Olympic Park Authority) Act which requires that the Authority "makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that the natural heritage of the Parklands is protected and enhanced". Furthermore the Act places a high value on the Authority's commitment to the principles of ecologically sustainable development. S15 provides that: 'in carrying out any of its functions, the Authority is to take into consideration, where relevant, the principles of ecologically sustainable development within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1993.' (Refer to the summary of the LGA Act 1993 in this section for this definition).
This means that new legislation has to be passed to overturn much of the SOPA Act. I think we need the support of the independents - two "Shooters PArty" and two "Christian Democrats", I believe, to stop the new legislation. The next NSW Parliamentary sitting is 21st October.
Fortuitously, the BNSW Spring Cycle will be held on the 19th October, finishing up at Olympic Park. We (cyclists) told the Newington locals about that on Monday night and they are trying to organise a rally to coincide with the Spring Cycle. I am keeping in contact with the residents and will update this Group and Sydney Cyclist forum when information comes to hand in case any of you can offer support, particularly on 19th.
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Permalink Reply by Jonathon Troy on
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Is there any information regarding the route of the race? I get the feeling that there is going to have to be a massive effort to get Rees to move at all. I would say that if you are a cyclist living in Western Sydney this government is treating you with contempt. Would a letter writing campaign be of any use. After all if there is enough of an outcry against the decision they may change their minds (Rees is after all the replacement for a leader who was preceived as a dead man at the next eletion - if Rees is serious about getting the Sopranos yet another term he is going to have to do some work). Maybe you could include some form of post card or get people to write letters directly to Rees at Spring Cycle - the Wilderness society do it?
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Permalink Reply by MadameBike on
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Jonathon, I think the residents of Newington who will be rallying at the Spring Cycle finshing area will have petitions for us to sign. I will let you know what their intentions are in the next week or so, when they have decided. I may put together a draft letter and post to this site - depending on what the residents are going to do - no point in doubling up. I don't live anywhere near Homebush, by the way. I am just annoyed by the underhand, subversive manner in which Rees has handled this when he claimed to be committed to cleaning up the NSW Labor Government's previous mode of behaviour. Ha! It doesn't look like it.
As regards the route, the Pit Garages will be on Australia Avenue near the intersection with Dawn Fraser Avenue. The route goes along Dawn Fraser Avenue, Edwin Flack Avenue, Kevin Coombs Avenue and Australia Avenue in a sort of rectangular loop.
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Permalink Reply by KimR on
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I looked at this course and it is only 5 right hand turns (or maybe left depending on which direction they go). I don't know much about car racing, but this doesn't seem like much of a challenge for the drivers. I bet they would prefer to be at Eastern Creek.
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Permalink Reply by Jonathon Troy on
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I will go with what ever the residents of Newington bring up. I have cycled through Olympic Park many times, it may yet become a commuting route for me. I know Lidcombe Auburn Cycling Club hold their training there and this is likely to bring out the boy racers to Homebush Bay in a big way. I was giving this some thought yesterday and remembered going to Eastern Creek for the A1GP (I received tickets from a friend of mine who could not go) The rev heads who went there locals (they live in Sydney or the surrounding area) or had come to Sydney just for the event and were going to go home that evening. Iff the "existing hotels want to drum up some business", they would be better lobbying for another event.
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