She was pictured at Royal Randwick racecourse in October for The Everest, the showpiece race day of Sydney’s spring carnival, where she sat at Hale’s table.
Ironically, Flemming would be joining a board that has sought to toss out Hale, a Sydney barrister who opposed the ultimately failed bid to sell Rosehill Gardens racecourse for $5 billion.
Peter V’landys heads Racing NSW, the controlling body for the sport in the state.Credit: Kate Geraghty
Hale sent a blistering statement to club members on Tuesday, defending the financial health of the club and claiming its efforts to pursue commercial opportunities had been “thwarted as a direct result of restrictions imposed by Racing NSW” since it was issued with a show-cause notice three months ago and effectively placed in caretaker mode.
The ATC board has been reduced to only four members since directors Ben Bayot and Natalie Hewson resigned days after chief executive Matt Galanos was sacked in September and Hale said Racing NSW had not granted the club’s request to appoint an additional board member on an interim basis.
The ATC directors dispute that Racing NSW has the power to axe them and replace them with an administrator.
“The board is firmly committed to defending the independence of the Australian Turf Club,” Hale said. “The imposition of administration would strip members of their democratic rights and place control of the club in the hands of external parties.
“The board does not believe this outcome is justified, necessary, or in the long-term interests of Sydney racing or the broader NSW racing industry.”
In response to Hale’s statement, Racing NSW made public its notice to the ATC informing it an administrator was being brought in.
It said the club directors’ dismissal was “the culmination of months of escalating concern regarding the ATC’s financial viability [and] governance issues” and a breakdown in trust with Racing NSW.
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“In addition, Racing NSW has formed the clear and considered view that the conduct of the ATC board gives rise to serious and systemic corporate governance concerns,” the regulator said.
The notification to the club cited communications between Hale and Latham about the proposed sale of Rosehill, which Racing NSW argued should have been disclosed to the ATC board.
A fierce detractor of V’landys who clashed with the Racing NSW chief during last year’s parliamentary inquiry into the Rosehill plan, Latham turned whistleblower against his former ally Hale after being escorted out of Royal Randwick on Epsom Day in October.
Hale has previously denied sharing any confidential board information with Latham.
