Can someone please explain to me why some people in business and in positions of power deem it necessary and acceptable to have hidden agendas, play Machiavellian games and become bullies?
Contrary to what is being dished up by the present ATC Chairman and Committee, there is a concerted effort to denigrate and force out a trusted, hardworking and loyal member of the ATC Management team.
No, Mr Chairman, I didn’t and don’t buy your comments at the ATC AGM.
You and your Committee lack credibility and gravitas.
I have to wonder what is the agenda for the sad, pathetic, quango appointed, aspiring Chairman, in this unsavoury matter ? You really are a grubby little person.
I’ll tell you one thing, Mr Chairman and Committee, I’d back the ability of the employee against the ability of you lot in running the ATC.
As I have said previously, the ATC is no longer a Club for Members.
In fact, as every day passes, it is more like a Statutory body and I won’t be surprised that the union of choice by staff is the PSA.
Seriously, where is the line between government, Racing NSW and the ATC ?
We seem to hear more from Racing NSW than our Club, the ATC, especially in the TVN matter.
Doesn’t the ATC still own 50% of TVN ?
Anyone thinking of becoming an ATC Member should ask themselves this: Are you prepared to become nothing more than a cash cow ?
I ask this in the light of being at Canterbury last Monday – Australia Day.
Members had to pay $10 per person for a seat in the Phar Lap Bar on the third floor. Members of the public, on the same floor, just metres away – free, gratis.
Interesting that the Membership Department is chasing 18 to 35 year olds. I suppose they have the disposable income. The downside is they use the race track as just another drinking hole and a parachute club. Then they get married, get a mortgage, have kids and the money dries up.
I cannot believe the latest rumour doing the rounds – that the ATC CEO hides in the bowels of the great white elephant at Royal Randwick to avoid being buttonholed by Members.
With Easter coming up, maybe instead of an Easter egg scavenger hunt, we could have an ATC Committeeman hunt. Don’t bother looking in the third floor of the white elephant or the Official Stand.
Good to see Domain Chandon Sparkling down from $49 to $42 on course. Would be better at an even $40. Now, if we could only get a reasonable red for, say, $25.
With the new Committee starting soon, it would be good if you didn’t have to put up with my rants. Don’t hold your breath.
Good luck and good punting.
Norm Snowden
RB 
As usual Norm you are too diplomatic, open up and say what you really think. But you are right about the committee, I haven’t seen them since the AGM. I see Julia regularly, so at least we will have access to one of our elected members. Keep up the rant Norm
The reason the ATC directors are keeping their heads down is simple.
They can’t compete will the soon to be ATC board member Julia Richie in the fashion stakes.
‘Summer Frock – Flat Sole Shoes – No Makeup – Beach Hat’
Please we can do better the ATC has an image to maintain, if we want to show case Sydney Racing all have to present a sense of class.
Totally unnecessary Craig albeit fashion and image is a big part of the industry. Let’s not get too personal and let’s stick to the ugly facts.
We have a weak board at the ATC and an ever weaker management team.
James Mathers
Mr Mathers – Of all people you talk of getting personal, please give all of us a break.
In case you haven’t heard the members has just elected a board to represent the best interest of the members for the next 3 years and I hope all of the others who participate in Sydney racing.
I think you should have nominated to be elected as an ATC Director ‘Oh News Flash You Did’ sorry you were not selected.
Craig
I was referring to your cheap shot at Julia Ritchie’s appearance and dress standards. She is a good person, around 60 years of age and didn’t deserve that. She is also a friend and even though she is more than capable of sticking up for herself I always look after my mates.
NO FURTHER REPLIES FROM ME ON THIS POINT.
James Mathers
Mr Mathers
Did you notice that on the letter Julia Richie sent to all of the ATC members prior to the recent ATC board elections under the heading How to Vote and I quote ‘I would recommend Julia Richie, Michael Crismale, Bill Evans and Steve Grant’. This is a team that will provide a good balance of corporate experience and responsibility combined with a passion for racing and the Club.
Surely you are not blaming Julia for this weak board at the ATC
Mr Slone, please believe me when I say that what I am about to say, I am not being patronising, arrogant or facetious, but I endeavour to deal in fact and in all my rants, including here on RacingB*tch, they are my personal opinions and experiences, and also those concerns by Members said to me in general discussions.
May I further say that I not only welcome your comments, but I am actually cock-a-hoop that you have taken the time to express your opinions and thoughts. I wish more Members would do the same.
I am more than happy to be put back in my box if a majority of Members say I am out of kilter with reality at the ATC or that my comments and opinions are wrong.
Sadly, the most aggrieved Members I have spoken with, are, previous STC Members.
Maybe you are right, I need to get out and about more at the track. Believe me, I do try, but I am just saying, that I have never seen the Committee or CEO walk through the 3rd floor of the new stand and I also haven’t seen them elsewhere, like the Champagne Room in the Official Stand at Royal Randwick.
I did run into the CEO at the escalators, a couple of meetings ago at Royal Randwick, but I didn’t buttonhole him at that time, because I was on a fishing trip to see if monitors had been installed in the 3rd floor Members area, something I mentioned to him 18 months ago and had no response. Sadly, the monitors are still not installed, so are they ever going to be ?
If you have read ALL my rants on this site, you would be well aware of my thoughts on the apathy of Members, including voting.
In regards to my comment about M/S Ritchie having a mandate, it is, I consider, a mandate on those that bothered to vote.
I spoke with Mr Crismale at the AGM and he implored me, and other Members, to give him and the Committee, a chance. He mentioned several initiatives that would be implemented, one of them being opening the Ball Room at Royal Randwick to Members on race day to alleviate congestion on the 3rd floor – hasn’t happened.
I know for a fact that a lot of staff are not happy and this malicious vendetta against a person who previously held the position of EGM is simply disgraceful.
I once said to the CEO, in the Committee Room at Rosehill, that I loved the Club and I further said to him, that believe it or not, we were probably on the same side and I suspect you and I may be the same. It’s just that we have different ideas or opinions on how we arrive, hopefully, at the same spot.
I believe that the Club should have a day at Royal Randwick, one at Rosehill and one at Warwick Farm, preferably a Sunday, so that as many Members can attend – workers, non workers, retired, young, old, male, female and have a gabfest, a brain storming gathering, from 9am til 5pm. Not run by the Membership Department or even the Club, per say – a totally independent body or even just the Members. But make it transparent with proposals and recommendations wrapped up at the end of each day, because we just haven’t had that opportunity. The forums and AGM were Committee, CEO and staff driven and controlled, with limited input from Members. This was disappointing and frustrating for someone like me who is just so passionate about the ATC – OUR Club, a Members Club.
I implore Members, anyone, please, please comment, even if it is to tell me to shut up or whatever. I am even happy to give my email address, if that is permitted here on RacingB*tch, rather than clog up this site. It would be great if the ATC had a blog on their website.
Before I finish, I just want to mention a couple of small things that I feel go to some Members feeling frustrated.
My card wouldn’t scan on Saturday, apparently caused by a major power outage and resultant IT problem at Randwick. This also affected emails to and from the Club. No mention of it on the ATC website, not necessarily to apologise, but simply to inform and confirm to Members.
I received an email today from the ATC Membership Department – ” Our records indicate that you have attended four (4) Saturday Summer Race Days. To say thank you for your ongoing support, we would like to reward your loyalty with additional ATC vouchers* valued at $35 as a small token of our appreciation. ”
However this was at the bottom of the email – ” *Food & Beverage voucher is redeemable for $25.00 worth of food and/or drink from any permanent bar at Royal Randwick, Rosehill Gardens, Canterbury Park or Warwick Farm. ”
Am I missing something ? What happened to the $10 ?
This is just one of many examples of errors that come out from Membership of the Club that I have received.
Finally, from the Members I spoke with, they felt conned by the cash giveaway promotion. Chances were, it was never going to be claimed and some sort of result was expected. It doesn’t work that way in a normal club like an RSL, sports or other club.
Thank you and good luck and good punting.
Norm Snowden.
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um . . . mmm . . . Mr Slone, I do think that your comments are a tad uncalled for. Maybe M/S Ritchie is as plain as flour and by your comments, people like me shouldn’t even be seen in public, as I’m no oil painting, but let me tell you one thing. What M/S Ritchie doesn’t know about racing or running a business like racing, isn’t worth knowing. She totally comes from a racing background by both sire and dam and yesterday she had horses racing. I mention her having horses racing at Rosehill for one reason and an important reason. Whilst she could have been swanning around basking in the glory, being feted, she chose instead to be highly visible, out and about talking, yes talking, to the Members. I asked her to join me for a drink, but instead insisted that she had to meet someone in the TJ Champagne Bar who wanted to speak with her about issues at the ATC. Since being elected, she has been taking notes of various issues of Members and public whenever she has been approached and she hasn’t even taken up her position yet. Where were the CEO, Chairman, other members of the Committee ?!?! All missing in action or rather inaction. Yesterday I spoke with numerous Members and not one was happy. I sat next to a married couple yesterday in the thermos brigade area on level one. They told me they had only been Members for a couple of years. When I mentioned that M/S Ritchie, one of the new Committee, had just won the first race, the lady said that she wanted to write to her because of things that they were not happy about since joining. My goodness, new Members and already they are disappointed and disillusioned !?!? What don’t the Chairman and Committee get ? They are supposed to be top businessmen, tops in their field, yet they don’t get the fact that if they are doing things right and everyone is happy, come election time, no one stands against them and they are returned. But no, these dumb arse bozos had numerous candidates running against them. Of all of them, only M/S Ritchie has a mandate and three of them are only glorified public servants as quango appointees.
We sold our once proud Clubs to the devil when the two Clubs were merged and anyone who says different, is living in la la land. We as Members are even being stood over by mere staff and if we step out of line, an overnight envelope arrives, warning us to behave or suffer the consequences. It makes me sick. Norm Snowden.
Norm you need to get around more when you are at the races instead of sitting with the extremely disappointed former STC members, last Saturday at Rosehill I seen Steve Grant – Laurie Macri – John Camilleri – Michael Crismale and yes Darren Pearce all very viable and contrary to some peoples view they were talking to members, owners, breeders, media, sponsors, trainers, do I need to list others, in fact I spoke to LM, JC, MC, DP.
Did I read at the last ATC directors election of the 15,500 odd ATC members some 1,680 odd cast a vote !!! this would tell us that 10.8% of the members voted and 6.1% of the total membership voted for Julia hardly a mandate!!!.
Norm its not all about the members. Think of the owners who are paying on average $4,000 plus per month to have just one of their horse in training. They are looking to the ATC board and Management to grow racing in Sydney and provide enjoyment and an acceptable financial return for all participates from what ever sector they come from and yes that includes members all 15,500.