A move to spill the board of the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has gained significant momentum after two directors dramatically threw their support behind the push for change, amid claims of bullying and a toxic culture.
MRC board members Caitrin Kelly and Alison Saville sent their fellow committee members a letter today stating that there was a “longstanding poor culture and toxic atmosphere’ on the committee, there have been “previous instances of bullying” and that they now supported the spill motion which is being led by fellow committee member John Kanga.
The pair had previously put their name to a joint statement, along with the other members of the MRC Committee, which criticised Kanga's demand for a Special General Meeting (SGM) to remove and replace six committee members.
But Kelly and Saville have now claimed they were “pressured" into signing that statement at "short notice”.
Their decision to join the "Save Our MRC" group puts pressure on the club to hold the SGM within the next few weeks. The Club Rules require the SGM to be convened “forthwith”.
Kanga has called for the removal of six Committee members, including Chairman Matt Cain, along with Nick Hassett, Jill Monk, Mark Pratt, Brooke Dawson and Scott Davidson.
Kanga's campaign has focused on an agenda of three key issues that need to be delivered for the MRC: the need to move back to the original Caulfield mounting yard as soon as practicable, scrapping plans to build a new grandstand at Caulfield Racecourse and retaining racing at Sandown Racecourse.
Yesterday's statement from Kelly and Saville confirmed their support on those three key issues and said that MRC members should be given an opportunity to vote at an SGM without delay to remove the six board members they consider to be opposing and impeding that agenda.
Since launching his bid to change the board last week, Kanga has insisted the move is necessary to create a committee that is united and has a clear mandate to resolve those three issues.
