Residents fume as Racing Victoria boss defends decision to flood-protect Flemington Racecourse
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Melbourne residents smoke as if out of contact Racing Victoria boss DEFENDS decision to protect famous Flemington Racecourse from flooding – as they claim thousands of people are at risk of flooding
- Racing Victoria boss said flood protection had to be done at Flemington circuit
- With rain ravaged the state, some neighboring homes are now at risk of flooding
- Andrew Jones reiterated that TV racing will continue at the iconic sports venue
- Also added Spring Carnival generates millions annually for Victoria’s economy
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Dozens of Melbourne residents are fuming after Racing Victoria CEO Andrew Jones publicly defended the decision to protect Flemington Racecourse from flooding.
It has resulted in large volumes of water shifting precariously from the iconic trail to the homes of locals in neighboring properties near the Maribyrnong River.
Victoria has been raining heavily for the past few days and a 71-year-old man was found dead in his backyard in Rochester, rural Victoria, on Saturday morning.
Controversial flood walls were built in 2007 to protect the home of the Melbourne Cup.
With many people at risk of losing their homes or facing a hefty cleaning bill, Jones has come under fire for his careless comments.
While the Flemington circuit is in good condition, heavy water has created flooding problems (pictured) for local residents
An aerial view of the Flemington runway, which is protected from flooding
“It’s a difficult situation,” he told Nine’s Today Show on Saturday morning.
“The PRC took measures 15 years ago to protect its property from flooding, which it is entitled to (and) has obviously had unintended consequences for local residents.
“Clearly it was not the intention of the PRC to cause harm. They were trying to protect the Spring Carnival and the Melbourne Cup Carnival, which is a hugely important part of Victorian life and the Victorian economy, so I think this is an unintended consequence.”
Jones stated there were “no major fears of big gatherings” at the spring carnival, including Saturday’s Group One Caulfield Cup.
“Racing Victoria has invested heavily with clubs for a number of years to ensure the drainage on our tracks is as good as possible,” he said.
“We’re in pretty good shape and don’t expect any watered-down race meetings.”
Racing Victoria CEO Andrew Jones has come under fire after he publicly defended the decision to protect Flemington Racecourse from flooding
Jones’ views sparked an avalanche of criticism on social media.
Many took to Twitter to express their outrage at “prioritising a racecourse over houses.”
In 2004, despite objections from residents and three local councils, the then Labor government approved a rock wall to protect Flemington Racecourse from flooding.
Local resident and historian Liz Crash said the area near the racecourse had always been a flood zone.
“This has always been a major concern for the community,” Ms Crash told ABC.