By Bridget Cook
representatives on Monday to discuss the termination of the event. Mr Davison is with Paul Cotter and Paul Serepisos, who organised a petition to try and save the Easternats. 33678
Picture: Stewart Chambers
EASTERNATS organiser Jon Davison has threatened legal action following a meeting with the Melbourne Racing Club this week.
Mr Davison, along with his solicitor, on Monday met with racing club representatives for the first time since the event was axed in July this year.
While he thought the meeting was convened to discuss the event’s termination, Mr Davison said he was pretty much just told he had no chance at reinstating the auto spectacular at its Sandown home.
“They basically said they were fully entitled to terminate the agreement and that we have no rights,” Mr Davison said.
“We understand that there are still three years left on the contract.”
“We are now going to seek legal advice on the arbitration section of the agreement and the outcome of that will determine whether we call a public meeting.”
The racing club “ended its relationship” with Easternats organisers this year for reason they would not disclose.
The decision sparked a groundswell of controversy with more than 1500 people turning out to sign a petition and more than 7500 people joining a facebook site in a bid to save the event.
Mr Davison said he had tried for the past three months since the decision to arrange a meeting with the racing club to discuss the issues in relation to breaches of council planning permit conditions, believed to be the reason behind the demise of the event.
“We have provided them with every courtesy to address this issue and they have treated us like dirt,” he said.
“They had no consideration that I had been a promoter of car racing at Sandown for more than 20 years and were completely indifferent to the fact that the event got kids off the roads. “They pretty much told us that we’re not coming back and we might as well accept it.”
When contacted by the Star, the racing club refused to comment on the matters.
Mr Davison said he is now hoping to arrange a meeting with the Greater Dandenong mayor and chief executive officer to discuss the breaches of the council planning permit. Greater Dandenong CEO John Bennie said both he and the mayor were happy to meet with Mr Davison at a time convenient for all parties.
He said however, that termination of the Easternats event was a commercial decision that involved the racing club and Mr Davison alone.
“The council was not involved in the decision,” Mr Bennie said.
