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 NO ACCESS: Premier Speedway fights for only NASR-only race teams 

NO ACCESS: Premier Speedway fights for only NASR-only race teams

15 Feb, 2010 03:00 AM
PREMIER Speedway is locked in a battle with the national consumer watchdog over plans to restrict access to only drivers and pit crew members insured by the sport's peak body.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is proposing to revoke permission granted to Avalon Raceway and Perth Motorplex in 2008 to allow only competitors and crew members with National Association of Speedway Racing (NASR) insurance into their facilities.

Allansford's Premier Speedway, Brisbane International and Murray Bridge Sporting Car Club and Motorcycle Club each lodged applications about a year ago seeking approval to ensure only NASR holders could access the pits and tracks.

But in considering the applications, the ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel recently revealed it intended to revoke Avalon and Perth's permission.

"The notified conducts prevents speedway racing clubs aligned with organisations in competition with NASR from holding events at the ... tracks, which are important tracks in their respective states," Mr Samuel said.

"The ACCC recognises that it is important for tracks and drivers to operate in a safe environment. However, the notified conduct locks out alternate licensing bodies from accessing the notifying tracks, regardless of whether such bodies also implement a set of effective safety criteria."

Mr Samuel said the ACCC believed there were other ways safety standards and risk management procedures could be achieved without restricting access to holders of licences issued by a specific organisation.

"Tracks could set criteria for minimum health, safety and insurance requirements and give alternate licensing bodies the opportunity to demonstrate that they meet the criteria."

Premier Speedway Club general manager David Mills said he, representatives from other tracks and NASR would fight the ACCC later this month.

He said they would make submissions at a hearing in Melbourne on February 22 arguing that venues needed to operate under clear guidelines to avoid legal action.

Several other tracks had written letters of support.

"All we want to do is make ourselves a NASR-only track," he said.

"It is to protect the venue operators. We are not in it to stop classes from racing."

He said the club wanted to ensure all drivers and crew members were covered under the same insurance policy.

If a person with a different insurance provider refused to take out NASR cover, clubs wanted to be able to refuse access and avoid being sued for doing that.

Mills said the move was designed to ensure strict safety measures for drivers and pit crew members under NASR membership and insurance were adopted across everyone in the pits and that one set of rules was in place for all.

He said NASR, speedway's peak body, had been developed to ensure consistency in standards and ruling.

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