Auckland Council ignored fans when moving speedway from Western Springs, legal challenge says

Speedway has been moved from Western Springs to Waikaraka Park. Photo / Photosport

• Auckland Council’s decision to move speedway from Western Springs has sparked a legal challenge.
• The Western Springs Speedway Association claims the council ignored the speedway community’s views.
• Allegations include “fraudulent” letters of support and a lack of open, transparent decision-making.

Auckland Council brushed aside the views of the speedway community when it decided to move the motorsport from Western Springs, a legal challenge claims.

The controversial decision last October to move speedway from its home of 97 years has angered supporters, who donated sums ranging from a few dollars to one of $13,000 to mount a court challenge.

Speedway’s days at Western Springs were numbered when councillors voted 11-8 to spend $11 million upgrading Waikaraka Park – the home of stock and saloon car racing – for speedway from next summer.

The Western Springs Speedway Association filed a judicial review at the High Court in Auckland on April 3 and provided the Herald with its statement of claim.

The days of speedway at Western Springs are seemingly over. Photo / Jason Dorday

The 38-page document outlines several reasons to overturn the decision, including natural justice issues.

The statement of claim said the council failed to consider the views of the speedway community and did not allow members to present their views.

“Those views were not received at all, let alone with the requisite open mind,” said the document.

Mayor Wayne Brown was among those who voted to move the motorsport and turned down a request from speedway supporters to address the governing body.

The document also claims “mistakes of fact”, and alleges fraud in relation to letters of support for the move that did not reflect the true position.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) is the council-controlled organisation that owns and manages the council’s main stadiums.

The council’s process to move speedway has been plagued with controversy, and described by councillor John Watson as inept and predetermined.

Western Springs Speedway Association spokesman Jason Jones (left) and councillor John Watson. Photo / Alex Burton

The October 30 vote followed revelations at the governing body a week earlier about a letter from Speedway New Zealand general manager Aaron Kirby in support of the move.

In another letter tabled at that meeting, Kirby said the initial letter in support of consolidation was “a complete misrepresentation”.

The meeting was adjourned to clarify the position of all the letters of support, which found that a second letter from the Auckland TQ Midget Association was mistakenly created by a council staff member, incorrectly portrayed the association’s views, and was withdrawn from the agenda.

Said the statement of claim: “The council has not conducted its business in an open, transparent and democratically accountable manner.”

The council said it was served with judicial review proceedings by the speedway association on April 15, and as the matter is before the court, it is unable to comment.

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