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The ACT government has prepared for a future without horse racing, drawing up plans to build housing on Canberra's only racecourse.
Key points:
- A draft plan canvasses demolishing Thoroughbred Park to build more housing
- The ACT government says it's up to the racing industry to decide how much land to develop and sell
- The ACT has already banned greyhound racing, and the Greens want to end all public funding for horse-racing
However, Chief Minister Andrew Barr says he has no intention to end the sport in the ACT — he says the plan is simply an option.
The government released a draft development strategy for the city's inner north on one of racing's biggest days, Melbourne Cup Day.
It included two options for Thoroughbred Park's future: one is turning some of the site into homes and shops, the other is developing all of it and scrapping the race track in the process.
The opposition Liberal Party said the timing was disgraceful.
Its racing spokesman, Mark Parton, said the Canberra Racing Club was "completely blindsided by this when they are busy putting on a Melbourne Cup race day".
The club — which wants to develop some of the land — agreed the document was "a big shock".
Its chief executive, Darren Pearce, said it was "akin to being at an AGM and having a hostile takeover of your company".
However, he added that the first option in the plan was "very closely aligned to our master plan".
"Let me be unequivocal about this: We're not property developers at the expense of the racing community," Mr Pearce said.
"We're looking to develop the surplus land on the fringe of the race track, to give us a capital base to reinvest in what we can do for our members, for the community and to improve horse welfare."
'Not a plan to end racing'
The government had been working with the racing club for two-and-a-half years to find a better way to use the land.
However, Planning Minister Mick Gentleman acknowledged the draft document might have caught the racing community off guard.
The option the club supports involves adding low and high-density housing, and some parks and other amenities.
On the other hand, the unexpected option — in which the racecourse is demolished — allows for many more dwellings and development in what is a sought-after area close to light rail and Canberra's centre.
Mr Barr said it was up to Thoroughbred Park to decide how much or little development it wanted.
"I've clearly outlined the government's interest in working with the racing club on redevelopments that would involve more housing," he said.
"I imagine they're going to want to settle on that site and build around it.
"I hope they will also accommodate the needs of the [Canberra] Harness Racing Club and bring that into the precinct as well, which will then free up space in Exhibition Park."
In a statement, the government said it had signed a five-year agreement with the racing club earlier this year, and the strategy was "not a plan to end horse racing".
"The racetrack will remain at the current site in Lyneham for as long as Canberra Thoroughbred Club wish to stay there."
Questions remain over sport's future
In 2018, the ACT became the only Australian jurisdiction to ban greyhound racing.
However, while the territory's two governing parties — Labor and the Greens — were united on that ban, they are now divided on the future of horse racing.
The Greens want to withdraw budget support from the sport, arguing it is cruel and encourages gambling.
Its planning spokeswoman, Jo Clay, said taxpayers should no longer prop the sport up.
"We've spent and pledged [more than] $100 million in the last 10 years, and we don't think that is a good use of public funds," she said.
Some people in Canberra's horse-racing industry have struggled financially in recent years.
They hope their sport will not go the way of the dogs.
Racing trainer Nick Olive had worked at Thoroughbred Park for 20 years before he was "forced to move to Queanbeyan", across the New South Wales border, "because my business became unsustainable in Canberra".
He attributed the ACT's problems to rising costs and other factors, warning there was "a lot of work ahead" if the industry were to survive.
"We need to have the government on side," Mr Olive said.
"Even though I'm not in Canberra now, I don't want to see Canberra go without racing.
"There's no state in Australia that doesn't have a racecourse. It'd be sad if the capital city of Australia was the first one."