Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett "has demanded Racing Victoria launch an immediate investigation into the special meeting that has allowed Melbourne Racing Club office bearers to add six years to their terms," according to Patrick Bartley of THE AGE. Kennett said that Racing Victoria CEO Bernard Saundry should have a complete report by the end of the week and if it is found that MRC board members engineered the result or the process, they must "be disqualified" from holding those positions.
Kennett: "It sounds and smells very peculiar. And I would think if you were going for extra terms it must be after an election or a referendum."
Club members "reacted angrily since Thursday night" when a successful vote was carried to allow Chair Mike Symons, Vice Chair Peter Le Grand and Treasurer Domenic Romanelli to extend their terms following the meeting.
Some members claimed the meeting should have been declared "null and void" after Le Grand admitted he had sent the information regarding the meeting "out only to friends who were members." Kennett: "What's been said here is extremely worrying. If it's found that the meeting was not advertised to all members it should be declared null and void" (THE AGE, 5/1).
