03-AUG-2011 The Liberal / National Coalition Victorian State Government clearly understand that your votes won them the election at the end of last year. Prior to that election they indicated that they would seriously consider building the new ANDRA Melbourne Drag Racing venue. While they never made a formal election commitment they have advised that they will get it as soon as possible as they had to deliver the promised election commitments. The ANDRA Project Team have been in contact with the relevant Ministers and Departments trying to gain a formal commitment however they are going through a complete review of all the information gathered over the recent years. The Project team have advised that the Minister for Sport should receive a briefing of all the options within the next few weeks. After that period The ANDRA Project Team and others will be turning up the heat to get the Minister to discuss the project within the Governments political hierarchy. Now is a good time for you to wind things back up and write to The Hon Hugh Delahunty Minister for Sport Level 22 50 Lonsdale Street Melbourne, Victoria, 3000 E: hugh.delahunty@parliament.vic.gov.au Some suggested points you may include; - You voted for the Liberal/National Coalition by Labor ignore your desire for an new drag strip. - There has been no ANDRA Championship Drag Racing since 2001 (190 years ago). - There is no other Drag Strip in Melbourne that can meet the requirements for ANDRA Championship Drag Racing. - Other sports have multiple Government venue options for their sports, whereas Drag Racing has no options and has never received any Victorian Government funding for the sport or a venue. - Providing that the Government builds the initial venue, the sport is operationally viable including all venue maintenance. - The ANDRA Melbourne Drag Racing venue is a 'once only' capital cost to Government with no recurring costs to Government which has been proven by other real world examples in Australia. - Drag Racing creates jobs ... lots of jobs. - Drag Racing provides education and business acumen as people plan, design, budget, build, spend, test, race and evaluate their performance. This creates great personal training opportunities for team owners and all their crew members. - The ongoing operational economic impact was estimated at round $190m per annum by the Victorian Governments own consultant. - The economic impact during construct was estimated to be a further $29m dollars. - The entire 'once only' construction cost is under $38m. - There is no risk to Government and the ANDRA Project Team has done this before and clearly understands how to do it and make it work. So get your fingers going and write to the Minister in your own words, perhaps including some of the points above.   VICTORIAN STATE ELECTIONS 01-DEC-2010 Well the election has been a great result for the ANDRA Melbourne Drag Racing venue. It has demonstrated that Governments should listen to their constituents and like many other issues, the Drag Racing venue issue was important to you and many other passionate people. We have been contacted by many of you saying that you voted (lots for the first time ever) for the Liberal / National Coalition because of your frustration with the Labour Government. Your power was your vote! This area will be updated as things develop.   YOUR VOICE - YOUR VENUE 29-OCT-2010 (Click HERE for a PDF version) Hi to all 'Motorvate Melbourne' supporters. We are now one month out from the November 27th State election so this is one of your last opportunities to influence Government in their considerations. We should celebrate that 'Motorvate Melbourne' (that's you) has helped to raise the ANDRA Melbourne Drag Racing venue profile to the point where the Premier has publicly said that the Government will find a solution for Drag Racing. This would never have happened without the work done by the ANDRA project team and your support since 2006. All that remains is to ensure that the Government picks the best option for all of you. It is clear that most of you support the ANDRA Proposal because the venue would be held forever by the Drag Racing sanctioning body and not by a private landowner that can do what they want when they want. That's their right, as they privately own the land however that's been proven not to be in the interests of the sport and racers. Many of you are likely to be very frustrated if the State Government gave a Private owner, public funds to improve an old venue when there is no guarantee that racers will have access to a good venue into future decades. ANDRA has given us a statement that we have attached for you to read. 'The Motorvate Melbourne team supports ANDRA, however most of us see that if the Government don't choose the ANDRA proposal then we are back to where we were 10 years ago after Calder Park closed its doors to ANDRA Championship Drag Racing. We share your frustration as we all just want to race our cars and bikes but a long-term solution is what we all really want. This is really a once in a lifetime opportunity to have Government build a new ANDRA venue. What we want you to do right now. Write a letter or email to; The Hon. James MERLINO, MP Minister for Sport and Recreation Level 7, 1 Spring Street, Melbourne Vic 3000 Phone 03 9208 3805 Email: james.merlino@parliament.vic.gov.au Use your own words to ask the Minister to support the ANDRA Melbourne Drag Racing proposal over any other options. Your email or letter must not be a form letter but should be your position. One page but no more than 2 pages. .: ANDRA is the sanctioning body for Drag Racing in Australia as delegated by FIA /CAMS. .: ANDRA is a 'not for profit' body and its proposal will ensure that Drag racing has a home in Melbourne forever. .: If the Government chooses other options, it would be give tax payers funds to private landowners than give funding to private owners. .: These private landowners have emerged when it became clear that Government may provide some funding to bring ANDRA Championship Drag Racing back to Melbourne. .: ANDRA is the best solution because it is low risk for Government as it is a 'once off' cost with the ANDRA funding all maintenance and operational costs. .: The ANDRA solution is more than ANDRA Championship Drag Racing. It is a complex including a many motor enthusiast activities and club activities. .: It also has an 'Attitude Change' driver training area to educate youth from school ages to adults. .: The ANDRA proposal also opens the venue on a regular program of weekly events where youth can try out their cars and Motorcycles in a safe, controlled and legal environment. .: The ANDRA proposal creates many jobs. .: The ANDRA proposal has an economic impact of $190m pa economic impact. .: The cost to Government is $38m for a 'once only' cost as the operations and maintenance of the venue are covered by the Motor sport activities. In summary, It's OK to say that your vote depends on a commitment for the ANDRA Drag Racing proposal. Make sure you get your family and friends to write to the Minister for Sport. Your Voice - Your Venue!   ANDRA STATEMENT ON MELBOURNE DRAG RACING VENUE 29-OCT-2010 (Click HERE for a PDF version) The Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA) is the controlling body of the s port of drag racing in Australia, delegated by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) and the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). After six years without ANDRA Drag Racing opportunities in Melbourne, ANDRA determined the need and with some help commenced action in 2006 to secure a world class, Government funded drag racing venue in the city, using the model that proved successful for the sport in Sydney and Perth. The Victorian Government has accepted that Melbourne does need an ANDRA Championship Drag Racing venue and that they will need to fund a solution. Early in negotiations they expressed a preference for a multi use venue and after consultation with the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) this year designs were developed to include a motor racing circuit in the ANDRA Melbourne project. Over the past year other Victorian venues running independently through the last decade have seen the opportunity, or been invited to present alternatives and source potential funding. The Victorian Government is exploring options. ANDRA ANDRA has no doubt that the best solution for drag racing and other motor sports is the ANDRA Melbourne venue proposal. .: "once off" construction funding to build the venue. .: venue owned by the Government in perpetuity. .: ANDRA will lease the venue long term. .: ANDRA will fund venue operations. .: ANDRA will fund all maintenance. .: proven low risk model for Government as done in Western Australia and New South Wales. .: guarantees the long term accessibility required for sustainable motor sport operation and development. CALDER PARK The Victorian Government is considering an upgrade to the existing Calder Park venue, conditional upon a return of ANDRA and CAMS activities. Following a meeting between ANDRA and owner Bob Jane during August, ANDRA raised a number of points in writing requiring clarification before the next steps could be taken. Those points included; .: Documents covering noise limits at the venue state "Except for the use of jet powered vehicles, nitro burning vehicles, Formula One cars, and concerts, noise levels emitted at any event conducted on the site, must not exceed the levels set out opposite each location in Table 1." These range between 60 and 75db at the nearest residential boundary, depending on time of day and wind direction. That may exclude a number of ANDRA supercharged categories. .: Major upgrades, including re-alignment and possible extension of the braking distance and installation of continuous barriers, are required for the drag strip to accommodate full quarter mile competition at all ANDRA Championship levels. .: Staging lanes are currently located immediately adjacent to the primary safety barriers and greater separation is required. This is primarily an organisational issue. .: Proposed frequency of ANDRA Drag Racing events. .: Proposed prizemoney levels. After a brief response on one point Calder Park requested ANDRA not to communicate further unless certain demands were met. Calder Park has chosen not to run ANDRA Drag Racing for nearly a decade, despite being home to ANDRA's premier event, the Australian Nationals, through the nineties. The venue has a history of conflict with sanctioning bodies and other organisations. HEATHCOTE PARK RACEWAY Heathcote Park Raceway (HPR) is also seeking funding and ANDRA opened discussions with HPR regarding funded upgrades to the venue as part of the ANDRA Melbourne Drag Racing project. In the short term this would provide options for ANDRA Championship Drag Racing in Victoria and later, deliver a strong regional venue at reasonable cost, which would benefit from the increased activity generated by the new ANDRA Melbourne venue. HPR is not a sustainable solution for Melbourne due to its distance from the city. The venue has operated outside the ANDRA system for many years and has not confirmed any commitment to change that. SUMMARY To conclude, the ANDRA Drag Racing venue concept, expanded to a multi-use motor sport complex, will offer the best solution to Melbourne. ANDRA is and has always been committed to encourage and assist any organiser in the progressive promotion of ANDRA Drag Racing. This is one of the principle objectives of the Association. In the absence of opportunities to do that in Melbourne between 2001 and 2006, in light of unsuccessful attempts to reach agreement with existing organisers through that period and in the interests of the sport and its members in Victoria and nationally, ANDRA took the initiative. The ANDRA target remains the delivery of a reliable and sustainable drag racing venue to Melbourne.   MOTORVATE MELBOURNE PUBLIC RALLY 21-FEB-2010 Thank you, thank you, thank you.... What a great result from the Motorvate Melbourne Public Rally held at the Melbourne Showgrounds on 20th February. .: 600 Drag Racing, Street Machines and Custom Cars on display. .: Over 16,000 members of the public through the doors .: FRONT PAGE of the Sunday Age .: Channel 7 and Channel 9 6PM News .: www.theage.com.au website (HERE) ...and so it goes on.... Firstly some house keeping....a HUGE thank you to the Victorian Drag Racers Club and the Melbourne Drag Racing Club for their sensational volunteers who made everything go unbelievably smooth...(so smooth we were worried that something was going to fall apart as it was going like clockwork...but we need not worry...it all went according to plan!) Of course a BIG thank you to all the supporters who assisted with the costs of the day...without their help we could not have achieved the great result. Over the next few days we will be asking you to continue to help us achieve what we deserve - the return of ANDRA Championship Drag Racing to the sporting capital of the world - Melbourne! Register your details now, so we can keep you informed on the progress of your venue.