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Motorsport NZ in Turmoil?

by Velocity News
May 5, 2020
in New Zealand, News, NZ General
6

Tony Roberts, Chairman of the Historic Commission, today resigned from MSNZ citing disappointment and dissatisfaction with the direction Motorsport management was taking.

Roberts said that the Historic Commission had questioned the process by which Motorsport House was being sold and then questioned the secretive process of the sale, but received no meaningful answers to their questions.

Roberts says that as a major asset of the member clubs, the constitution applied to the sale and the member clubs should have been involved in the decision to sell and that the sale process should have been transparent.

“Without an auction, how do we know if the member clubs achieved the true value of the building?” he said. The building looks set to be sold for $1.3 million when the Government valuation was $1.53 million.

Roberts is also the President of the Historic Racing Club Inc., Chairman of NZ Historic Muscle & Saloon Cars and Chairman of the NZ F5000 Association and has been on the MSNZ Historic Commission for 20 years. He was the recipient of the prestigious MSNZ Ron Frost Award for his passion for Motorsport and the building of Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in 2011.

Mr Roberts’ resignation statement read as follows:


Resignation

Dear Wayne Christie and the rest of Motorsport NZ Board. I tender my resignation as a Historic Commission member and Chairman of the Commission.

As you know, I have become increasingly dissatisfied with the management of MSNZ and the new CEO. I believe the board should be ashamed of itself for trying to bypass the constitution in the sale of Motorsport House and then trying to justify the sale process. Of all the emails that I have sent to you over the last three months questioning what is going on, only a few have been answered. This lack of response and lack of transparency makes the Historic Commission feel that we are not valued and suspect that the board would sooner we are not there.

Our work has not been followed through in the office and our opinions not sought. As an example, we updated Appendix 6 half a year ago and it has still not been included in the manual – why? We also had no consultation on the 270% COD cost increases, which caused a lot of consternation and disbelief in Historic Racing circles and the compromise has only just been notified yesterday – after four months.

MSNZ has grown into a bloated bureaucracy that is a long way away from assisting the competitor in Motorsport. After over thirty years of working in various voluntary roles for motorsport and being awarded the Ron Frost Award for my passion for motorsport, I am disappointed to be leaving in this way, but value my integrity above all else.


Tony Roberts
Chairman
Historic Commission

Comments 6

  1. Wendy says:
    5 years ago

    Have MSNZ’s Board been approached for comment?

    Reply
  2. Brendon Sole says:
    5 years ago

    Thank you for letting motorsport New Zealand competitors know the truth of what goes on behind closed doors

    Reply
  3. Paul F Manley says:
    5 years ago

    As a current member of HRC, having supported NZ Motorsport since 1958, I find this current debarkle absolutely unacceptable to its members and the long serving dedicated servants of this sport.
    Remove the NZ Series out of MNZ control, do the permitting via Australia for all NZ Events, and leave those that starved Motor sport in the last 2 years such as Taupo Management to wallow in their own self pity.

    Lets move on starting with grass roots Club motorsport for 2021.
    Thank you all for your dedication,

    E36 Ham

    Reply
  4. Mike Baker says:
    5 years ago

    Thankyou Tony
    I agree with everything you have said.
    Thank you foryour dedication to the sport
    Regards Mike

    Reply
  5. Allan Murray says:
    5 years ago

    So sad to hear this Tony as having worked with you in the early stages of Hampton Downs servicing your equipment I must say it was a absolute pleasure everytime I got to see you. Your passion for the racing fraternity and polite manner in which your were so approachable will never be matched. I know you will be sort after by many for your advice and motor sport in NZ has gone so backwards with your resignation. Cheers Allan Murray

    Reply
  6. Rodger Anderson says:
    5 years ago

    I have never understood how the hierarchy hide so much.
    In the sixties and seventies huge money was paid in starting monies and bonuses and ever since the situation has got worse.
    Crazy situations have unfolded- Pukekohe getting ACCouncil millions, the arguments over N Z Saloon regulations, the Cook Straight ‘iron curtain’ for decisions , etc.
    People like Tony Roberts have dedicated their lives to the sport and were often snuffed. Thank you Tony-agree with all the above.
    Glad I retired and spent my efforts in Car Club events.
    Signed Rodger Anderson.
    Life Member of M.G.Car Club and Porsche Club N.Z.

    Reply

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