Tim Hale, who has served on the Australian Turf Club board since 2021, has been elected to lead the club as chairman following Peter McGauran's departure.
Hale, who was elected for a second four-year term as an ATC director last November, was against the contentious Rosehill proposal, which was put to members in May.
He is an experienced senior legal counsel with expertise in property law, development and property-related litigation.
“It’s a great honour. Looking forward to meeting the challenges that confront us and bringing the industry together,” Hale said when contacted by The Straight.
Racing media figure Caroline Searcy, who has been on the ATC board since February 2023, will be vice chair.
Hale’s ascension to one of the most prestigious roles in Australian racing comes after a tumultuous 18 months for the club.
The ATC has been embroiled in political infighting since McGauran, in a joint announcement with the NSW government in December 2023, first made public a plan to sell off the club’s richest asset for housing.
McGauran insisted the cash-strapped club needed to accept a $5 billion state government offer for Rosehill racecourse to consolidate its future for the next 50 years.
An immediate backlash from members, a parliamentary inquiry and a vote down of the sale almost two months ago contributed to the proposal’s demise.
In a closer-than-expected vote, ATC members rejected the Rosehill sale on May 27.
The “no” vote received 56.1 per cent to the “yes” vote’s 43.9 per cent among the 7864 lodged from the ATC’s membership base of more than 11,500.
Bren O’Brien
McGauran announced his decision to stand down on July 9 in an early exit from a government-appointed position that was due to continue until January 2026.
He assumed the chairmanship in a unanimous vote in August 2022 after his appointment to the board six months earlier.
The former federal parliamentarian had previously survived several attempts to unseat him from the chairmanship during the sale controversy, with the well-connected Save Rosehill lobby group calling his position untenable.
Before McGauran announced his resignation, Save Rosehill claimed it had received the required signatures to oust the former chairman.
Bren O’Brien
But senior ATC executives later denied Save Rosehill had the numbers to lodge a petition against McGauran’s position.
“I believe history will judge the decision to pursue the (Rosehill) vision as having been the right one,” McGauran said when announcing his decision to step down.
“I remain convinced the potential sale of Rosehill Gardens was a lost opportunity for the club and the wider racing industry.
“I have made this decision aware of the challenges for the ATC ahead and believe that a new chairman and renewed focus will guide new initiatives for the club’s future and its members.”
A vote for a new chair was set down for a July 28 board meeting before it was brought forward to Monday.
