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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Michael Parris

Grid walks, safety car rides, corporate boxes: pollies' Supercars perks revealed

Pit-lane hospitality suites at the Newcastle 500. The government receives a "premier" suite for 100 people for three days as part of its agreement with Supercars. File picture

Grid walks shown on the big screen, hospitality suites for 100 people, trophy presentations, safety-car rides and driver endorsements of Newcastle and NSW.

This is part of the political and promotional bang the NSW government gets for its buck from Supercars in return for hosting the Newcastle 500 motor race.

A 2017 "strategic investment agreement" revealed under freedom-of-information laws sets out the motor racing company's obligations to the government.

Under one section of the agreement titled "government benefits", Supercars must at each event "allow the NSW Premier or Minister for Tourism and Major Events or NSW Government Representative to ... walk the length of the grid before the commencement of the Series race at the Event (Premier Grid Walk)".

At least part of the grid walk must be "broadcast on the super screens around the event area".

The race promoters also must "allow a reasonable number of Government representatives (being no less than 15) and guests the right to participate in a pre-race walk of the length of the pits or the grid".

The premier or tourism minister must be allowed to present the trophy to the winner of the main Saturday and Sunday races and a government representative must be given the opportunity to wave the chequered flag at the Sunday race.

A Twitter post by former deputy premier John Barilaro after the 2018 Supercars race in Newcastle.

Former deputy premier John Barilaro presented a trophy and had a tour of the track in 2018, but the Newcastle Herald understands few prominent government MPs have attended the race in the three years it has been held.

Under the agreement, Supercars must provide a "premier pit suite corporate facility" for 100 people on each day of the event, including a standard food and beverage package, ushers and waiters.

The government also receives 50 grandstand tickets with access to the race paddock on each day of the race, 100 general admission tickets and a minimum of three safety car rides.

The hospitality suite must have "large television screens (minimum 68cm)" at a minimum of one per 30 guests.

The government also receives a table "as close to the stage as possible" for 10 people at Supercars' annual "gala awards dinner" after the final race of the season.

Newcastle East Residents Group, which has fought a long campaign against the race being held through the streets of the historic precinct, gained access to the document two and a half years after applying for it under the Government Information (Public Access) Act.

The value of the government's financial obligations to Supercars have been redacted from the agreement.

The contract says Supercars must appoint four drivers as race ambassadors to provide "endorsement of Newcastle and NSW".

The race organisers must also provide 25 places for apprentices to participate in the event and 50 places for TAFE students to receive work experience.

City of Newcastle has a separate "services deed" with Supercars which includes 100 three-day general admission tickets, 500 Saturday tickets and a 20-person corporate hospitality suite.

Next year's race, the final event under Supercars' existing agreement with the council and government, will be on March 10 to 12.

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