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They said it was part of a bigger membership drive that had the support of the MRC committee.
“Any memberships purchased by chairman John Kanga or his family were legitimate, consistent with the rules, and for family and friends wishing to support the club,” the MRC said.
“Payments made on behalf of family or friends are not unusual and do not breach the rules.”
An aerial view of the parcel of land at Caulfield Racecourse on which Mount Scopus Memorial College has an option to purchase from Melbourne Racing Club for $195 million.
There is nothing in the MRC or Racing Victoria constitutions that states it is against the rules to buy multiple memberships for other people.
The MRC, which owns the Caulfield, Sandown and Mornington racing clubs, is one of the richest sporting clubs in the country. It owns 112 hectares of land at Sandown Racecourse in Springvale worth more than $600 million and owns 15 poker machine venues that make almost $50 million profit a year.
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Almost 12 months after seizing control of the board of the influential club, Kanga and MRC leadership have separately been accused of several governance breaches in complaints lodged with Racing Victoria’s integrity department and the Racing Integrity Commissioner. The unproven allegations relate to adherence to club rules, privacy breaches and failure to declare conflicts of interest.
A Racing Victoria spokesperson said the sport’s governing body does “not make comment on whether we have or haven’t received complaints”. A spokesperson for Racing Integrity Commissioner Terrie Benfield said it does not have the power to investigate complaints against club processes.
In response to questions from The Age, a Victorian government spokesperson said: “Our expectation is that every member of Victoria’s racing community conducts themselves with integrity and adheres to the rules around privacy and conflicts of interest.”
Kanga told this masthead the allegations put to RV were “ridiculous and without foundation”. He said they came from “a small group of bitter former committee members and associates who were rejected by the membership after wasting $160 million of the club’s money and putting its future at risk”.
“Integrity, transparency and strict adherence to the club’s rules are central to how we govern and operate.”
John Kanga with patrons spruiking the cheaper food options during a meeting at Sandown Racecourse in January.Credit: Getty Images
Kanga was elected chairman on October 3 last year, two weeks before the club’s premier Caulfield Cup race day, triggering the resignation of four other members of the 10-person MRC board between October 3 and November 15 last year. The Age has seen documents that show concerns were raised with club leadership about whether proper processes were followed in appointing three of the replacements.
After assuming the chair, which is an honorary position, Kanga became an instant hit with members. He abolished the Caulfield Masterplan, saved Sandown Racecourse, returned the mounting yard to its original position and scrapped a proposed $230 million grandstand.
He introduced cheap drinks, a discounted end-of-year membership and shouted the racecourse free beer and wine after cult hero Pride Of Jenni won her comeback race.
He won over trainers by opening up Caulfield’s new inner track for much-needed trials, and was popular among jockeys for handing out free race-day skivvies that advertised his finance company, Metropolitan Capital.
He is often seen walking the track and mingling with Caulfield members on race days, buying groups of people drinks and willingly handing out his phone number. He is also constantly engaged with the racing public on social media.
Kanga led the club’s push for new members. The MRC said this was openly discussed and supported at committee meetings dating back to October 2023.
“From the time I joined the board more than two years ago, I have been on the record stating that I wanted to personally recruit at least 1000 new members to the club, with a particular focus on introducing more young people to racing,” Kanga said.
“We continue to be successful in attracting new members.”
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The club’s recruiting drive appeared to have been particularly successful at Mornington Racing Club, where more than 300 people joined between August 2023 and August 2024, lifting the club’s membership by about a third in a single year.
A geographical map of Mornington’s membership across the 2023-24 financial year, prepared for the board, showed clusters of members living in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, Geelong and country Victoria, many of whom did not attend race meetings.
In response to questions from The Age about the elections, the MRC issued a statement saying: “Last year’s elections delivered overwhelming support for Cameron Fisher and Sheamus Mills, who were elected on a clear platform to save Sandown, restore the Caulfield mounting yard, and avoid $240 million in unnecessary spending on an unwanted grandstand.
“All elections are conducted in accordance with the club’s rules and independent governance processes, which apply equally to every candidate and are overseen by an independent outside company, CorpVote, acting as the Returning Officer.”
Former vice-chairman Nick Hassett is one of seven MRC directors who left the club since Kanga began his leadership tilt.Credit: Getty Images
Only 20 per cent of MRC members – 3229 people – cast votes at last year’s election, marking their two preferred names from six candidates on the ballot paper. Mills and Fisher finished on 1651 and 1592 votes, 600 ahead of their nearest rival on 971.
Seven MRC directors have left the club since Kanga began his leadership tilt: former chairman Matt Cain, former vice-chairman Nick Hassett, former treasurer Jill Monk, Mark Pratt, Brooke Dawson, Scott Davidson and Barbara Saunders.
The executive team was also stripped bare. MRC chief executive Josh Blanksby resigned in August last year when it became clear the make-up of the board would change.
He was followed out the door by six other executives and, later, the new CEO Tom Reilly, who was sacked on the King’s Birthday weekend in June this year.
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The board was thrown into turmoil in June this year when Barbara Saunders resigned in support of Reilly, citing concerns about the club’s governance.
The MRC lost $17.3 million over the past financial year, despite its 15 poker machine venues returning a $46 million profit, and its debt blew out by $24 million to $178 million.
The club expects to clear its debt if Mount Scopus College exercises an option to buy 7.5 hectares of land beside Caulfield Racecourse for $195 million.
Victorian racing clubs are incorporated associations run by their own boards. They are issued licences to race by umbrella body Racing Victoria, which oversees the sport and distributes prizemoney.
The Racing Victoria board represents 10 key stakeholders – Melbourne’s three metropolitan clubs (the VRC, MRC and Moonee Valley), Country Racing Victoria, owners, breeders, jockeys, trainers, bookmakers and jumps racing.
Racing Victoria board members are elected by Racing Minister Anthony Carbines.
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