2 June 2005

Dragway advisory committee established

| johnboy
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Proving to us that he is a man of action the Chief Minister has announced the formation of a “Dragway Advisory Committee”. A mere 4 years after taking office on the promise to build the damn thing.

I once saw Mikhail Gorbachev interviewed, and when asked when he realised that communism was doomed he said it was the moment he realised that market economies had no need for a politburo committee on panty-hose production. Those countries had people who wanted to pay for a product and people who chose to deliver it to take that payment.

Similarly I wonder if, perhaps, the London Circuit Soviet would be better served by making the land available and putting the rest of the process out to tender. That way other people would pay to set it up (and yes, keep the profits) rather than the taxpayers paying to set it up and having to endure the process.

A dragway isn’t a necessary civic amenity. It’s just something to let people do if they want to. We really don’t need to be planning out every excruciating detail of this.

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The great opprotunity missed by the Govt was back in about 2001 when the original dragway stink blew up. They should have challenged the dragway proponents to raise half the six million it was reckoned(at the time)to need, to demonstrate the projects viability, and offer to match it dollar for dollar. The next best offer would have been to arrange to keep the NSW Police quiet on the Federal Highway on drag nights and subsidise Wakefield Park. Its a bloody quick trip to Goulburn if you don’t have to worry about coppers with radars.

Unique in the ACT G!

It could be verminous elsewhere but if it’s unique in the ACT it must be preserved at all costs!

Wait until its just about to go ahead and Save the Ridge Foundation gets involved. There will most likely be some form of weird fungus or something in the exact area that the dragway will be built that needs saving because it is unique.

G

What is beyond me is why they simply don’t go and fix up the track the the former Fairbairn dragway. Yes I know it has its limitation regarding the track length etc etc but surely that would be a cheaper quick fix for at least an outlet for the petrolheads.

As much as I don’t like or understand many that move in that crowd, they have the right to have somewhere to do it. The Cabbage’s latest action just demonstrate his lack of commitment to it. Looks like that ‘I voted for a dragway’ stickers weren’t worth the plastic they were printed on

The public have spoken about the demand for a dragway. Don’t know if it’s a majority call, but it’s been lobbied and promised. It’s too late to ask whether we need one or not, it’s been promised so it should be happening.

Motorsport enthusiasts should realise that diversity is the key to success (notwithstanding taking Aus built cars to China for a race). Varying venues will increase the popularity of the sport while potentialy increasing the revenue base in the ACT for the MLA’s precious pay rises etc etc. The flow on effects of three or four big meets a year will be good for the ACT economy, regardless of whether you’re an enthusiast or not.

That being said; the people of Canberra, especially the vocal lobbyists have to ensure that they support all events. Remember how much we all bitched and moaned when the AFL stopped coming to Canberra or when the Cannons were moved interstate. The reason this happens is because the day to day support is letting organisations down. My tip to the Dragway lobbyists if this ever comes to fruition; Put your money where your mout is and support your events!

Growling Ferret10:56 am 03 Jun 05

As someone who has been involved in motorsport as a competitor, can someone remind me why we need a dragway in Canberra?

Western Sydney International Raceway (WSID) is three hours up the road, and has arguably the best facilities in the world outside of the USA. For motorsport competitors, 3 or 4 hours up the road to compete is a short distance – especially in the days when Eastern Creek Dragway was closed, and the closest dragway for Canberra competitiors was either Calder Park in Melbourne or Brisbane.

For driver training facilities, there is Fairburn Park (former) Police driver training centre – and if people want club level motorsport, there is the extremely well run SDMA Hillclimbs on Sutton Road run each month where you compete in your road cars against the clock. If people want to run 1/8th mile drags, Wakefield Park at Goulburn run street meets where people can run their road cars.

The whole argument for a new CID was to get the kids of the streets – if the kids really wanted to get off the streets, the options are there. Unfortunately, you don’t get the Playstation Need for Speed thrill in the safe monitored environment of an organised race or drag meeting.

I am conviced the the Government doesn’t want a dragway. It sems that cosmoploitan and modern cities don’t have any room for petrol-heads. And we’re trying so hard to be seen in such a way.

The most simple explanation of the Comrade’s action (or inaction) is to say that he and his cronies have not forgotten their Public Service credo; The best way to retard a good idea is to have a meeting. The best way to kill a good idea is to form a committee.

Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; They did it by killing everyone who opposed them.

I’d be willing to lay a wager that this will be another spruce goose; A logistical and financial monolith that will never fly.

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