Lakeside International Raceway, Queensland – On the eve of Indy Carnival, Queensland's biggest annual tourism event, the State's other motor racing icon, Lakeside International Raceway, continues to be embroiled in controversy.

'Council Comes Clean' proclaimed the front page headline of the Pine Rivers Press.

The Pine Rivers Shire Council has always stated that the primary justification for the purchase of Lakeside was to protect the water quality of Lake Kurwongbah from contamination, however, confessions from those inside the Council prove otherwise.

"Pine Rivers Shire Council has admitted it has no proof that the Lakeside International Raceway posed a pollution threat to the adjoining Lake Kurwongbah," said Mr Glenn Roberts in his investigative article on 22 October, 2003.

Following a meeting last month between Lakeside Motor Racing Enthusiasts president Ian Milton, Councillor Chris Monsour and the council's land development services manager, Mr Roberts was able to extract corroboration from the council's lifestyle and environment committee chairman Mike Charlton.

"Cr Charlton said no study had shown Lakeside had been a source of pollution, or would be in the future," reported Mr Roberts.

Mr Roberts' report went on to state, "When council bought the facility for $600,000 in late 2001, Mayor Yvonne Chapman said, 'continued use of the facility as a race track could eventually pose a threat to the water quality of the lake through seepage of oil, fuel and chemicals'."

In reference to last month's meeting with the Council, LMRE president Ian Milton said that the PRSC was "unable to provide any written proof of past, present or future water pollution."

Furthermore, the article quotes, "Not surprisingly, today's meeting provided council with the opportunity to substantiate claims of water pollution at Lakeside and they were unable to do so. Therefore, they've spent $600,000 of ratepayer's money on a venture based on rumours rather than facts."

In closing, the front page story reports, "In a statement issued after the meeting, the LMRE said the return of club level racing to Lakeside which the group was pushing for, did not have to include V8Supercars." 

Background

Lakeside International Raceway is the world's first full permanent heritage listing of a motor racing circuit. The track has hosted some of the biggest names in international motor racing since opening in 1961. The race track was a fully operational and profitable business when the Pine Rivers Shire Council purchased the facility, but has since closed the facility to motor racing. The Council is currently appealing the heritage listing.