State government needs to be held to account over Supercars

Under the Motor Sports Event Act, before making this order the minister was required to make a draft order publicly available and to give members of the public a reasonable opportunity to make submissions about the event's impact.

I am not aware of any draft order that was made available by the minister for public comment, even though I am an avid follower of opportunities to consult on this event.

If this was an omission by Henskens, it is a violation of the new Motor Sports Events Act and demonstrates how governments can be captured by the interests of private organisations at the cost of the democratic process.

Responsibility for consultation with those impacted by this event was shifted to the new authority, the Office of Sport.

When requesting approval from the Office of Sport to carry out the extensive works required for the event, Supercars had to attach evidence of their consultation with the "impacted public".

However, by their own admission, the evidence they provided as part of their community engagement strategy was only anecdotal - and in my opinion quite simply laughable.

Supercars claimed that, "Current Situation Residents west of Parnell Place and Murray Ave spoke positively of the event and stated they were delighted to host a three-day street party with their neighbours."

I have no doubt that some of the 2000-odd residents inside the circuit love the event and hold parties, but where is the evidence of any consultation with the residents who endure hardship because of the event, or who may even find it necessary to evacuate?

Where is the evidence of consultation with the majority of businesses in the impacted area that suffer financially because of this event?

In the past, those objecting to this event have found a voice through the Newcastle East Residents Group (NERG), which has worked diligently over the past six years to reveal information that otherwise would have been kept secret.

Secrecy is the most effective weapon used by private corporations in state capture.

It prevents transparency and thus makes accountability impossible.

Supercars does secrecy well.

As the partner of government, they are legally able to withhold all information concerning costs on the grounds of commercial-in-confidence and they ensure that any other information about their deals with government bodies can only be obtained through arduous and time consuming freedom of information channels.

Who can forget the way Supercars included a confidentiality clause in the Services Deed with City of Newcastle Council that even prevented the elected councillors from knowing the extent of the services council had to provide?

It was only through the determined efforts of NERG that this deed came to light - as well as all the other deeds now listed on the council's website.

However, Supercars Community Engagement Strategy turns the fight for information on its head.

NERG, along with "Nobbys Road residents" and other "supporters of heritage protection" are the ones regarded at risk of being an "information conduit", spreading misinformation to the public, "creating community angst" and "increasing emotional tension".

Along with secrecy, portraying voices of dissent as the villains in the saga is another powerful weapon used in state capture.

I'm happy to be regarded as a voice of dissent and will continue to ask the questions that need to be asked.

For a start, the public needs to know whether there was a draft order made by the minister and, if so, at what place (or places) was the proposed order made available and what length of time was made publicly available for comment before the order was made public in the government gazette.

Any answer at this stage will not stop the V8s from careering around our heritage streets, but it will help the voices of dissent hold this government to account.

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