A historic Australian racecourse should be redeveloped to help address the nation's housing crisis, says an industry leader who's hit out at a "smear" campaign over the high-tension issue.
Racing NSW boss Peter V'landys used an address on Friday to claim "cheats and undesirables" were smearing his reputation as he backed a controversial plan to develop Sydney's Rosehill Racecourse as a way to secure racing's future.
A parliamentary inquiry is examining the proposal after the NSW government in December signed a memorandum of understanding with the racecourse owner - the Australian Turf Club - for plans to build more than 25,000 homes on the site.
The government says the plan, opposed by some thoroughbred industry players, is a once-in-a-generation chance to boost much-needed housing supply in the area, near Parramatta, west of Sydney.
The multi-billion dollar plan faces an uphill battle amid heavy opposition from some club members including high-profile trainers Gai Waterhouse and John O'Shea.
Giving evidence on Friday, Mr V’landys said money from any sale should be invested so the club could cut its reliance on gambling revenue, while denying that funds would be taken by Racing NSW.
"We've (Racing NSW) never wanted to seize the revenue," Mr V'Landys said in an appearance that featured interjections from independent MP Mark Latham.
Mr Latham this week attacked the racing tsar under parliamentary privilege in a display labelled as disgraceful by NSW Premier Chris Minns on Friday.
“This is why it’s so difficult to do anything in Sydney ... you get your head taken off," Mr Minns said, adding that the plan will help ease Sydney's housing crisis.
Mr V'landys, in his evidence, also took issue with some submissions to the inquiry, claiming they came from people who wanted him gone from racing.
"One of our main roles is to get rid of the cheats and the undesirables ... some of them are using this inquiry to undermine racing," he said.
"I'm aware of an email that's going around that's basically saying, 'this is your chance to get rid of V'landys, so make up whatever you can ... just smear him'."
Also on Friday, Chris Waller, the Rosehill-based trainer of champion mare Winx, said he opposed the plan, saying a sale would be a "great loss" to the city's west.
The 140-year-old Rosehill track hosts a statue of Winx, who won more than $26 million in her five-year career - a record among Australian racehorses.
"Once Rosehill is gone western Sydney has lost one of its greatest community attractions," Mr Waller told the inquiry.
"To suggest it an be replaced or another satisfactory site can be found to build a racetrack is fanciful."
Earlier, turf club member Garry Charny, who is also on the board of Racing NSW and property investment firm Centuria Capital, said he believed the Rosehill site could be worth up to $20 billion depending on how it was developed.
Previous estimates have put a sale price at around $5 billion.
Mr Charny said he was yet to decide whether to support the proposal, citing a lack of sophistication and key information in talks.
Turf club director Caroline Searcy conceded the club would probably have to look elsewhere to raise funds with members likely to vote against the plan.
Club chair Peter McGauran hit out at a claim by Mr Latham alleging he told a Rosehill trainer the site needed to be sold due to “too many Indians living in the Parramatta region”.
“You're suggesting that I might have a problem with Indian families," Mr McGauran told the inquiry, describing Mr Latham's question as offensive and asinine.
"What I've said is that Rosehill is suffering a decline in attendance.
“Much of this is due to the removal of the heavy rail station (in 2020), but a lot of it’s also due to changing demographics in the region."
