Dispute reaches finishing line for dispute

By Lia Bichel and Bridget Cook
A YEAR-LONG dispute between the City of Greater Dandenong council and Easternats drag racing event promoter has ended.
Acting CEO Mick Jaensch said the City of Greater Dandenong council had successfully resolved the outstanding disputes with The Rapid Australia Corporation Pty Ltd and Jon Davison on four breaches of the permit for use of the Sandown Race Course for the Easternats in 2009.
Mr Jaensch said the council had recommended to the magistrate that Mr Davison be placed on the Criminal Justice Diversion Program. He also said two other infringement notices had already been paid.
Mr Davison staged the auto spectacular, which attracted more than 25,000 people to Sandown each year over the Easter weekend, for 13 years.
The Melbourne Racing Club “ended its relationship” with event organisers in June last year due to breaches of the council planning permit.
The decision sparked a groundswell of controversy with more than 1500 people turning out to sign a petition and more than 9000 people joining a Facebook site in a bid to save the event.
The 2010 event was rescheduled for Calder Park, but was cancelled due to regulatory issues, and subsequently, a group of youths staged a protest in Oakleigh.
Mr Davison announced last week that he had secured a 10-year agreement for Easternats to be held at the Benalla Auto Club’s Winton Motor Raceway beginning in 2011.
“Winton can accommodate all the action that the Easternats is famous for, including cruising, burnouts, street drags, stampede and go-to-whoa event all complemented by extensive display areas, first class pit and garage facilities,” he said.
“Onsite camping is a further benefit with the potential to build the Easternats into a full scale regional spectacular.”
Under the Justice Diversion Program Mr Davison has to donate $4000 to the City of Greater Dandenong’s Learner’s to P-Plates Program and has to pay the costs of $2000 to the City of Greater Dandenong by 28 October.
Should he fail to comply with the plan and the conditions, he will be required to return before the Magistrates’ Court to answer the charges.