WA Motorsport Strategy

Minister’s Foreword

Western Australian motorsport is underpinned by a passionate and enthusiastic industry which has driven the development of the sector over the last century.

The foundations of track-based motorsport in Western Australia are firmly embedded in the people and clubs whose dedication to the sport has shaped its culture and popularity throughout the State. For many, it is a way of life.

Recognising the importance of the industry’s community-level, grassroots base was a critical starting point in developing the WA Motorsport Strategy.

Early on, it became clear that any work to develop the industry must be driven by those who live and breathe the sport.

While the successful development of the local industry has the potential to provide important jobs, tourism and other economic benefits to Western Australia, the initial focus must be firmly on the sector itself and its vision for the future.

To this end, it was determined that the first pillar of the strategy would be the establishment of an industry working group, representing all the major stakeholders who propel motorsport in WA. The State Government has an important role to play—not in leading motorsport’s development, but in empowering local participants, clubs and operators to take hold of their industry’s future.

It is recognised that infrastructure and track issues will dominate conversations about the industry’s needs, with the strategy calling for the creation of a framework to guide future investment in the State’s venues and facilities.

Best-practice regulatory guidelines to improve safety and governance must also be developed, and we will work to coordinate and improve pathways at the sport’s key venues.

Finally, the strategy calls for the creation of a dedicated events and tourism strategy to leverage the  industry’s benefits and grow the sport beyond its dedicated base.

The State Government is committed to helping the industry implement these initiatives — with the ultimate goal of empowering WA motorsport to drive its own future.

Hon Mick Murray MLA
Minister for Sport and Recreation

Background

Motorsport holds a significant place in Western Australia’s sporting landscape, providing a recreational outlet for participants and fans, and an important contribution to the State’s economy, local jobs and the prosperity of a number of WA communities.

WA motorsport is primarily industry-driven by a passionate and enthusiastic motorsports sector which includes participants, clubs, user groups, commercial businesses, track operators, track owners, events providers, other professional teams, and allied industries.

The three main regulatory bodies involved in developing bitumen-based motorsport in WA are the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport Ltd (CAMS), the Australian National Drag Racing Association Inc. (ANDRA) and Motorcycling Australia Ltd (MA).

The State Government provides some funding assistance to motorsport, but does not play a regulatory role in the industry. In a small number of cases, it owns the land on which motorsport facilities are located, though local government has a more significant presence in this space.

The WA Motorsport Strategy (the Strategy) has been developed in consultation with the motorsports industry, bitumen based motorsport facility operators, and other key motorsports stakeholders to assist with the ongoing development of a successful motorsport industry in WA.

It provides initiatives to meet motorsport’s current and anticipated future requirements and address risks raised by the industry.

Objectives

The Strategy provides a framework for the motorsport industry to safely and sustainably develop the sport in order to benefit the industry and the wider Western Australian community.

The motorsport industry and State Government aim to:

• facilitate increased participation in all motorsport disciplines to give more people an opportunity to participate in, and experience, motorsport;
• develop the WA motorsport industry’s potential to host national and international motorsport events;
• develop the appropriate mix of complementary infrastructure and supporting facilities in Perth and regional WA, using evidence-based assessments of future requirements. This will provide for driver and rider experience and development; state, national and international competition; community development; and the delivery of a range of offerings across different motorsport disciplines;
• ensure motorsport’s continued contribution to WA’s economic diversity, helping to boost job creation and tourism through motorsport-based activities and events;
• provide for the industry’s continued self-regulation through the development and implementation of best practice guidelines; and
• encourage and consolidate a culture of safety, quality and continuous improvement within the industry, track operators, event providers and other industry organisations.

Pillars for success

1. Establish a representative industry working group to develop motorsport in Western Australia

It is recommended that a representative industry working group be established to lead the development of motorsport in WA. The working group would be an advocacy group to represent the interests of motorsport to government, investors and other stakeholders. It is not intended to be a decision-making body.

Role

The proposed working group’s terms of reference would clearly define its roles and responsibilities. The terms of reference are likely to require the working group to:

• work collaboratively with each other and other stakeholders such as the State Government and the Motor Trades Association of WA to maximise the potential of the motorsport industry;
• align the strategies of national sporting associations, state sporting associations and other representative groups for the broader development of motorsport;
• advocate for investment to develop service industry support for current and future bitumen-based racing circuits and associated facilities;
• advise government on key issues facing the motorsport industry;
• develop a mechanism to allow the community to access comprehensive information on motorsport activities in WA;
• represent the industry in the development of best practice guidelines, licensing and accreditation requirements (Pillar 2);
• inform, review and endorse a future policy framework on behalf of the representative bodies (Pillar 3);
• produce a motorsport development pathway aligned with WA’s priorities (Pillar 4);
• develop a coordinated motorsport events strategy for WA, and plan to maximise commercial opportunities and economic returns to the motorsport industry and WA (Pillar 5);
• review the current volunteer system, identifying gaps and proposing options to improve volunteer development and management to ensure coordinated and professional resources are available to support events, training and other activities; and
• develop performance measures to report progress against the outcomes identified in each of the pillars for success.

Membership

The membership of the proposed working group would include representatives of industry and
organisations responsible for the development, operation and safety of the sport.

Additional members could be invited into the working group as required—for example, local
governments with motorsport infrastructure within their boundaries (City of Wanneroo, City of
Kwinana, Shire of Collie and potentially, the City of Albany and Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale) and
other bitumen-based race track operators endorsed by the working group.

Establishment

It is proposed that, initially, the State Government (through the Department of Local Government,
Sport and Cultural Industries) would facilitate the establishment of the working group. The department
would assist in the development of the terms of reference and the identification and appointment of
members.

The industry would take carriage of the working group in 2020.

2. The motorsport industry develops best practice guidelines

The representative industry working group should develop best practice guidelines for the broader
motorsport industry, including owners, venue operators, governing bodies, licensing and sanctioning
bodies, and race operators, in relation to:

• governance;
• management and operations;
• risk identification and mitigation;
• safety measures; and
• open, fair and equitable access.

It is proposed that, where a venue is subject to a lease between a local government and venue
operator, the lease should include clauses that address:

• licensing and sanctioning of the track and events;
• governance and management arrangements for the venue;
• the provision of fair and equitable access to the venue for all users;
• asset planning and reinvestment;
• risk management; and
• frameworks for the reporting of accidents and incidents, and continuous improvement.

3. Develop an infrastructure framework to support the retention, development and future growth of motorsport in Western Australia

The appropriate level of infrastructure and activities at a given site should be identified through the
development of master plans.

Master plans should be prepared for each site and incorporate environmental, heritage, water
management and traffic management requirements.

It is proposed that areas for motorsport use and development of motorsport activities be located
within an appropriate buffer zone and protected from encroachment from incompatible land uses.

For each of the sites in Table 1, consideration should be given to the listed infrastructure, potentially in
a staged development process.

4. Develop a motorsport pathway within key venues

It is recommended that, in consultation with venue operators, the representative industry working group should take responsibility for the development and implementation of motorsport pathways within key venues.

5. Align motorsport events with sports development and broader tourism objectives

An events strategy for motorsport, aligned to WA’s broader tourism and sport strategies, should be developed to facilitate ongoing development of the industry.

It is proposed that the working group and other stakeholders work collaboratively on the development of an events strategy for motorsport which focuses on:

• identifying and promoting the sports development, social value and community benefits associated with events;
• promoting and assisting in the development of the sport (for example, through hosting age nationals and state championships);
• attracting motorsport activity aligned to broader tourism objectives and those of the peak motorsport bodies, in consultation with the track operators; and
• attracting motorsport events which have been analysed from an economic and profile perspective, and which are underpinned by the tourism industry.