Save Wakefield Park puts the skids on Goulburn public meeting

Organisers of the Save Wakefield Park meeting scheduled for Sunday, February 19 told The Post the raceway's owners did not ask them to cancel the forum.

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Save Wakefield Park group ups pressure with public meeting in Goulburn

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But co-convenor, Jess Nicholson, acknowledged that a joint public statement by Wendy Tuckerman and Benalla Auto Club (BAC) general manager, Stephen Whyte, was a factor in the decision.

"We just decided that there was no point and that we had reached all our targets and kept the issue alive," she said.

"Wendy Tuckerman and Benalla said they were working behind the scenes to find a solution and we left it at that."

The group formed after Wakefield Park motor racing circuit on Braidwood Road suspended operations in September, 2022. It did so following a NSW Land and Environment Court ruling that imposed more stringent noise conditions than previously existed under a council consent.

The owners branded this unviable and the owners, the council and Save Wakefield Park have been lobbying for state government action ever since. The action group was ramping up pressure ahead of the election and had invited candidates and other politicians to Sunday's meeting at the Goulburn Workers Club.

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In a joint statement with Mrs Tuckerman in early February, Mr Whyte said the company was grateful for the "groundswell of support," but the issue was complex.

"Unfortunately, through this process there has been some misinformation through discussion amongst the Save Wakefield Park social media pages," he said.

"For clarification, BAC has been working tirelessly behind the scenes with relevant government departments and industry advisors to explore a feasible and realistic outcome. These discussions are of a confidential nature and cannot be discussed in a public forum.

"...As a business we have enormous challenges ahead and we appreciate the many discussions we have had with Wendy Tuckerman and her commitment in keeping commercial in confidence as a result of those discussions, even when being the subject of vitriol for doing so."

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Labor candidate Michael Pilbrow, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers nominee, Andy Wood, One Nation MLC Rod Roberts had accepted the invitation to speak at Sunday's meeting. Mrs Tuckerman and some other invitees had not.

Ms Nicholson said 200 people were set to attend.

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In a statement, the group stated a parliamentary petition signed by almost 29,000 people and their own efforts had "kept the issue alive."

"We are now seeing the fruits of our labour with all political parties taking a position on the issue leading into the state election," it stated.

"As a volunteer advocacy group, we maintained our autonomy from BAC yet always consulted them on any activities we undertook, aligning ourselves to their objective to reopen Wakefield Park raceway.

"Now the campaign is gaining political traction and things are moving quickly, we feel we have done all that we can to help BAC."

It has shut down its Facebook page and notified the BAC committee of its decision.

Ms Nicholson said members would try to keep the successful election candidate "honest" about any promises made about Wakefield Park.

Mrs Tuckerman stated earlier this month that she was a strong supporter of the motorsport industry and her focus "had always been on reopening Wakefield Park."

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