A 13-year-old played the pokies. Melbourne Racing Club's new-look leadership has to conduct a review
On one of those occasions he was with adults and used a machine for five minutes without a staff member intervening.
The court took into account that the Peninsula Club had self-reported the breach and taken steps to prevent similar incidents happening again.
The MRC was fined a further $60,000 by the VGCCC in March after three of its venues – the Peninsula Club, Steeples in Mornington and Ringwood hotel The Coach and Horses – allowed customers to use poker machines outside permitted trading hours on Good Friday last year.
The three gaming venues opened before noon.
The MRC came under scrutiny earlier this month after the board removed CEO Tom Reilly from office just three months after he started the role. It also appointed Tanya Fullarton as chief operating officer without advertising the position or conducting an interview process.
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Fullarton is vice chair of the Thoroughbred Racehorse Association Board, sitting alongside chairman and billionaire racehorse owner Jonathan Munz.
MRC board member Barbara Saunders resigned on learning that Reilly would lose his job.
'I resigned because I had concerns about the lack of governance at the club and the removal of Tom Reilly from his position as CEO because, in my opinion, he was performing the role very well,' Saunders said at the time.
The MRC board then appointed Kanga as honorary executive chairman.
Since the start of the year, the MRC has parted ways with Reilly, and four senior staff members – Menz, chief financial officer Brent Westerbeek, head of commercial Alana Bray and head of racing and operations Jake Norton have resigned.
In a statement to this masthead regarding its racing operations, the MRC said: 'Despite this disruption, the club is performing well and the transition has been smooth. The impact on the performance and staff has been positive, with Fullarton being well received and staff morale improving substantially.'
This masthead reached out to Menz, who declined to comment. Reilly has also declined to comment when previously contacted about his exit.
At board level, former chairman Matt Cain, former vice chairman Nick Hassett, Mark Pratt, Brooke Dawson, Scott Davidson and Jill Monk have all walked away in the past 12 months.
Former CEO Josh Blanksby resigned at the end of August after seven years in the role.
Kanga seized control of the board after filing a shock motion for a special general meeting in August last year. He was voted in as chairman in October.
His Save Our MRC movement swept to power on three key promises: saving Sandown Racecourse, returning the mounting yard to its original position in front of the Caulfield members' stand, and scrapping plans to build a new $250 million grandstand at Caulfield.
In its statement, the MRC said it is 'fully committed to upholding the highest standards of regulatory compliance, adherence to all legal requirements and industry best practice to prevent any form of underage gambling.
'Subsequent to a self-reported incident in June 2023 involving an underage individual entering one of our venues, the MRC made application to vary its licence conditions to include a one-off risk assessment with the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC).'
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The MRC said it immediately introduced a range of measures to reinforce its zero-tolerance approach to under-age gambling, including 'physical barriers and secured entry points; installation of glass doors with controlled access; comprehensive staff training on risk identification and ID verification; [and] enhanced signage and reconfigured floor layouts to improve visibility and patron monitoring.'
A Victorian gambling commission spokesperson told this masthead that the MRC was required to 'commission an independent risk assessment at all of 14 of its venues and implement the recommended controls to prevent minors from entering poker machine areas'.
'The VGCCC has zero tolerance for breaches involving children,' the spokesperson said.
'Research tells us that people who begin gambling at a young age are at greater risk of developing gambling problems as an adult.
'Some examples of controls could include displaying clear signage that the poker machine room is only for adults and checking the identification of anyone who appears under 25 years of age before allowing them to enter a gaming area.'
Valley's $70m rebuild deal
Moonee Valley Racing Club has awarded a $70 million civil works contract to construction company Symal to rebuild its racecourse.
Moonee Valley will shut its gates after this year's October 25 Cox Plate to undergo an extreme 21-month makeover, which includes reshaping its unique amphitheatre circuit.
The contract includes earthworks, full track reconstruction, new racing infrastructure, upgraded underpasses, retaining walls and the installation of new track lighting.
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Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
A 13-year-old played the pokies. Melbourne Racing Club's new-look leadership has to conduct a review
On one of those occasions he was with adults and used a machine for five minutes without a staff member intervening. The court took into account that the Peninsula Club had self-reported the breach and taken steps to prevent similar incidents happening again. The MRC was fined a further $60,000 by the VGCCC in March after three of its venues – the Peninsula Club, Steeples in Mornington and Ringwood hotel The Coach and Horses – allowed customers to use poker machines outside permitted trading hours on Good Friday last year. The three gaming venues opened before noon. The MRC came under scrutiny earlier this month after the board removed CEO Tom Reilly from office just three months after he started the role. It also appointed Tanya Fullarton as chief operating officer without advertising the position or conducting an interview process. Loading Fullarton is vice chair of the Thoroughbred Racehorse Association Board, sitting alongside chairman and billionaire racehorse owner Jonathan Munz. MRC board member Barbara Saunders resigned on learning that Reilly would lose his job. 'I resigned because I had concerns about the lack of governance at the club and the removal of Tom Reilly from his position as CEO because, in my opinion, he was performing the role very well,' Saunders said at the time. The MRC board then appointed Kanga as honorary executive chairman. Since the start of the year, the MRC has parted ways with Reilly, and four senior staff members – Menz, chief financial officer Brent Westerbeek, head of commercial Alana Bray and head of racing and operations Jake Norton have resigned. In a statement to this masthead regarding its racing operations, the MRC said: 'Despite this disruption, the club is performing well and the transition has been smooth. The impact on the performance and staff has been positive, with Fullarton being well received and staff morale improving substantially.' This masthead reached out to Menz, who declined to comment. Reilly has also declined to comment when previously contacted about his exit. At board level, former chairman Matt Cain, former vice chairman Nick Hassett, Mark Pratt, Brooke Dawson, Scott Davidson and Jill Monk have all walked away in the past 12 months. Former CEO Josh Blanksby resigned at the end of August after seven years in the role. Kanga seized control of the board after filing a shock motion for a special general meeting in August last year. He was voted in as chairman in October. His Save Our MRC movement swept to power on three key promises: saving Sandown Racecourse, returning the mounting yard to its original position in front of the Caulfield members' stand, and scrapping plans to build a new $250 million grandstand at Caulfield. In its statement, the MRC said it is 'fully committed to upholding the highest standards of regulatory compliance, adherence to all legal requirements and industry best practice to prevent any form of underage gambling. 'Subsequent to a self-reported incident in June 2023 involving an underage individual entering one of our venues, the MRC made application to vary its licence conditions to include a one-off risk assessment with the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC).' Loading The MRC said it immediately introduced a range of measures to reinforce its zero-tolerance approach to under-age gambling, including 'physical barriers and secured entry points; installation of glass doors with controlled access; comprehensive staff training on risk identification and ID verification; [and] enhanced signage and reconfigured floor layouts to improve visibility and patron monitoring.' A Victorian gambling commission spokesperson told this masthead that the MRC was required to 'commission an independent risk assessment at all of 14 of its venues and implement the recommended controls to prevent minors from entering poker machine areas'. 'The VGCCC has zero tolerance for breaches involving children,' the spokesperson said. 'Research tells us that people who begin gambling at a young age are at greater risk of developing gambling problems as an adult. 'Some examples of controls could include displaying clear signage that the poker machine room is only for adults and checking the identification of anyone who appears under 25 years of age before allowing them to enter a gaming area.' Valley's $70m rebuild deal Moonee Valley Racing Club has awarded a $70 million civil works contract to construction company Symal to rebuild its racecourse. Moonee Valley will shut its gates after this year's October 25 Cox Plate to undergo an extreme 21-month makeover, which includes reshaping its unique amphitheatre circuit. The contract includes earthworks, full track reconstruction, new racing infrastructure, upgraded underpasses, retaining walls and the installation of new track lighting.
The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
A 13-year-old played the pokies. Melbourne Racing Club's new-look leadership has to conduct a review
On one of those occasions he was with adults and used a machine for five minutes without a staff member intervening. The court took into account that the Peninsula Club had self-reported the breach and taken steps to prevent similar incidents happening again. The MRC was fined a further $60,000 by the VGCCC in March after three of its venues – the Peninsula Club, Steeples in Mornington and Ringwood hotel The Coach and Horses – allowed customers to use poker machines outside permitted trading hours on Good Friday last year. The three gaming venues opened before noon. The MRC came under scrutiny earlier this month after the board removed CEO Tom Reilly from office just three months after he started the role. It also appointed Tanya Fullarton as chief operating officer without advertising the position or conducting an interview process. Loading Fullarton is vice chair of the Thoroughbred Racehorse Association Board, sitting alongside chairman and billionaire racehorse owner Jonathan Munz. MRC board member Barbara Saunders resigned on learning that Reilly would lose his job. 'I resigned because I had concerns about the lack of governance at the club and the removal of Tom Reilly from his position as CEO because, in my opinion, he was performing the role very well,' Saunders said at the time. The MRC board then appointed Kanga as honorary executive chairman. Since the start of the year, the MRC has parted ways with Reilly, and four senior staff members – Menz, chief financial officer Brent Westerbeek, head of commercial Alana Bray and head of racing and operations Jake Norton have resigned. In a statement to this masthead regarding its racing operations, the MRC said: 'Despite this disruption, the club is performing well and the transition has been smooth. The impact on the performance and staff has been positive, with Fullarton being well received and staff morale improving substantially.' This masthead reached out to Menz, who declined to comment. Reilly has also declined to comment when previously contacted about his exit. At board level, former chairman Matt Cain, former vice chairman Nick Hassett, Mark Pratt, Brooke Dawson, Scott Davidson and Jill Monk have all walked away in the past 12 months. Former CEO Josh Blanksby resigned at the end of August after seven years in the role. Kanga seized control of the board after filing a shock motion for a special general meeting in August last year. He was voted in as chairman in October. His Save Our MRC movement swept to power on three key promises: saving Sandown Racecourse, returning the mounting yard to its original position in front of the Caulfield members' stand, and scrapping plans to build a new $250 million grandstand at Caulfield. In its statement, the MRC said it is 'fully committed to upholding the highest standards of regulatory compliance, adherence to all legal requirements and industry best practice to prevent any form of underage gambling. 'Subsequent to a self-reported incident in June 2023 involving an underage individual entering one of our venues, the MRC made application to vary its licence conditions to include a one-off risk assessment with the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC).' Loading The MRC said it immediately introduced a range of measures to reinforce its zero-tolerance approach to under-age gambling, including 'physical barriers and secured entry points; installation of glass doors with controlled access; comprehensive staff training on risk identification and ID verification; [and] enhanced signage and reconfigured floor layouts to improve visibility and patron monitoring.' A Victorian gambling commission spokesperson told this masthead that the MRC was required to 'commission an independent risk assessment at all of 14 of its venues and implement the recommended controls to prevent minors from entering poker machine areas'. 'The VGCCC has zero tolerance for breaches involving children,' the spokesperson said. 'Research tells us that people who begin gambling at a young age are at greater risk of developing gambling problems as an adult. 'Some examples of controls could include displaying clear signage that the poker machine room is only for adults and checking the identification of anyone who appears under 25 years of age before allowing them to enter a gaming area.' Valley's $70m rebuild deal Moonee Valley Racing Club has awarded a $70 million civil works contract to construction company Symal to rebuild its racecourse. Moonee Valley will shut its gates after this year's October 25 Cox Plate to undergo an extreme 21-month makeover, which includes reshaping its unique amphitheatre circuit. The contract includes earthworks, full track reconstruction, new racing infrastructure, upgraded underpasses, retaining walls and the installation of new track lighting.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- News.com.au
‘A little disturbing': Ivan Cleary calls for overhaul of hip-drop interpretation, voices concerns over MRC
A decision to give the Australian Rugby League Commission extra powers to charge players if the match review committee misses something shows a 'disturbing' lack of confidence in the system according to Penrith coach Ivan Cleary, who declared it needs to be fixed. The premiership-winning coach also called on changes to be made to the hip-drop rule after Scott Sorensen was suspended for two matches for a tackle that Cleary says resulted in a 'cold case' investigation because someone got hurt. The Rugby League Players Association revealed last week that it had 'serious concerns' with the decision to amend the judiciary code that gives the ARLC 'absolute discretion and extraordinary powers' to charge players. The argument from head office is that it's an extra layer of protection for players, but the RLPA and Cleary aren't on-board with a move that has undermined player trust in the MRC. 'We had a charge on the weekend that I was very disappointed with,' Cleary said. 'So I would suggest that the danger there is that the commission is not showing a lot of confidence in the MRC, I would say. I don't know if that's the actual reason, but you can assume that, which is a little disturbing. 'That's the main issue – do we have confidence in the MRC? And if we don't, we should probably fix that up rather than coming up with a 'we'll step in if we don't think it's right'. 'There's some work to be done.' The commission didn't need to step in on the weekend after the MRC came down hard on Sorensen, who will miss two matches after he was hit with a grade 2 dangerous contact charge for a tackle that injured Dallin Watene-Zelezniak. It's his second ban of the year, but his coach is adamant that it wasn't a hip-drop tackle, with Cleary also confused by a call earlier in the year to suspend Mitch Kenny. Dallin Watene Zelezniak will go for scans on a suspected high ankle sprain (syndesmosis injury) suffered in Round 16. Another typical mechanism - tackler contact causes boot to get stuck in turf & foot to twist out. Considering traumatic contact concern for high grade injury. — NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) June 21, 2025 'I think he was very hard done by,' he said, not wanting to risk fighting the charge in case it resulted in an extra week. 'There has been enough talk about hip drops this year where I think you've heard from coaches post-game who are confused. 'The actual hip-drop rule, I don't even know who wrote it or when it was written. It's very vague and nothing like why it was brought in. 'Scott made a tackle that is in most people's eyes was a classic rugby league tackle. No one saw it, even the player who was tackled didn't think anything of it. 'Not any player on the field, not the referee, the touch judges and not 18,000 fans (thought it was bad), but someone got hurt so we had to do a cold case and go back and try to find it. 'It's definitely something that needs to be looked at because it's not just us and Scott. 'Just because someone gets an ankle injury,doesn't mean somebody needs to be suspended. 'It's unfortunate … but it was an accident.'
