Veteran horse trainer Gai Waterhouse says selling Rosehill Racecourse would be disastrous for NSW racing industry

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Champion trainer Gai Waterhouse has slammed a proposal to sell off Rosehill racecourse for housing. She's told a parliamentary inquiry Turf Club members would never agree to the deal and that the premier will have to look elsewhere.

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00:00The Premier today, promoting his latest plan to tackle the housing crisis, a trial of these

00:07pre-fabricated modular buildings for social housing.

00:10A real and viable alternative for people that want to own particularly their first house.

00:16Last December he was promoting a solution on a much grander scale, an idea to build

00:2125,000 homes at Rose Hill Racecourse, with industry set to reap billions from the sale.

00:27Today at Parliament, one of racing's biggest names, Gay Waterhouse, likened the idea to

00:32selling off the SCG or Bondi Beach.

00:36Why are we even discussing this?

00:37Why would you sell it when you've got all the training tracks and everything, the whole

00:42infrastructure is there?

00:44The renowned trainer says there's been pressure on industry figures not to speak out against

00:48the plan.

00:49She's described Racing NSW boss Peter Vlandys as the elephant in the room.

00:54He controls racing and he controls everyone in racing.

00:58But she's confident when Australian Turf Club members get a vote on the Rose Hill sale,

01:02they'll scratch it.

01:03Ask the members and I can tell you it will be an overwhelming no.

01:08What we've seen today from the government is a case of the cart before the horse when

01:13it comes to Rose Hill.

01:14There's much more than just pride at stake for Chris Minns.

01:17The Rose Hill proposal could form an important part of the Premier's plan to meet his national

01:22housing targets.

01:23We'd love to see Rose Hill turned into affordable housing, more housing for young people with

01:28a massive new park.

01:30The government hopes to get a deal over the line by year's end.

01:33Nick Doll, ABC News, Sydney.

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