John Kanga has formally entered the contest for a seat on the Victoria Racing Club board, little more than a year after resigning as chairman of the Melbourne Racing Club amid questions surrounding his associations and financial dealings.
Kanga submitted his nomination on Wednesday night, ending weeks of speculation and personal denials that he would seek election. Nominations close on Thursday, with four positions available on the VRC committee.
He has stressed that his campaign is independent and is not being supported by Jonathan Munz, the Melbourne Racing Club vice-chairman and influential racing figure who took Kanga’s vacant board seat last year.
“I am an independent candidate,” Kanga said. “I respect Jonathan and agree with most of his views on what is best for the industry, but he is not involved in my campaign and did not encourage me to run as a candidate.”
VRC board contest set for a close-fought election
VRC chairman Neil Wilson is stepping down, while chair-elect Vin Cox, treasurer Glen Carmody and director Michael Saadie are seeking re-election. The results will be announced at the club’s annual general meeting in December.
If more than two candidates are deemed suitable to stand, all four positions will be decided by a vote of VRC members at the end of November.
The election follows the board’s decision to appoint Cox as Wilson’s successor before the AGM. Cox must first retain his seat and then secure renewed support from directors, amid speculation about whether his position could be challenged.
Any change to the board could also affect the future structure of metropolitan racing in Melbourne. Wilson has opposed the VRC losing its identity through a merger with the Melbourne Racing Club or Moonee Valley Racing Club.
Kanga said this week that he remained open to the prospect of a merger, arguing that it could deliver significant savings if properly examined and supported by members.
“The government and RVL have encouraged club mergers and intuitively, there are big cost savings to be made,” he said. “The club executive and board would need to do proper due diligence first and have the support from members.”
Kanga resigned from the Melbourne Racing Club on the eve of last year’s Caulfield Cup carnival after questions about loans and the use of his car in a 2014 cocaine trafficking case. He has never been accused of a crime, and there is no suggestion that he was involved in criminal activity.
An Australian Federal Police report released under freedom-of-information laws said surveillance officers saw Assam “Sam” Lababidi, one of the targets of a money-laundering investigation, attending Kanga’s then-home and borrowing his car. Lababidi was later followed to a storage facility where 22.7 kilograms of cocaine and $118,500 in cash were found.
Lababidi, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison, said Kanga had “no involvement” in his criminal operation. Separate financial records showed Kanga had taken loans in 2013 and 2016 from two people involved in short-term, high-interest lending.
Despite the controversy, Kanga remained popular with many Melbourne Racing Club members during his time as chairman. His board retained Sandown Racecourse against a proposed housing development, moved the Caulfield mounting yard back in front of the members’ stand and abandoned plans for a new 250 million Australian dollar grandstand.
He also reduced food and drink prices at MRC racecourses, a record he is placing at the centre of his VRC campaign.
“My focus is simple. Better service, better value for money and a better race-day experience for VRC members at Flemington,” Kanga said.
He added that owners, trainers, jockeys and other racing participants should have a stronger voice in the club’s future, saying he wanted to work directly with members and the wider industry.
