‘Conspiracy in search of a theory’: Chief of staff defends Premier meeting with racing exec. mate ahead of racecourse sell-off

Chris Minns’ chief of staff defends the Premier meeting with a long term friend about a $5bn development which went into the official diary as a “meet and greet”. Chris Minns’ chief of staff, James Cullen, faced an upper house select committee on Monday, which is probing the plan to develop housing and possibly a Metro station at the Rosehill Racecourse in western Sydney. Mr Cullen said Australian Turf Club executive Steve McMahon and the Premier were friends of 20 years, which had no bearing on the racing executive getting a meeting with Minns. “Do you think the Premier has listed that meeting appropriately, given he was friends with Mr McMahon, given that a major $5bn-plus proposal was discussed, and it certainly was not simply a ‘meet and greet’?” Nationals MP Wes Fang asked. “Mr Fang, I’m very comfortable with the record keeping, including in this instance as well,” Mr Cullen replied, adding the line of questioning was “a conspiracy in search of a theory”. The Australian Turf Club went to Premier Minns in October 2023 to gauge government interest in building a Metro station if the turf club were to sell the racecourse land to build tens of thousands of houses. Mr Cullen said Mr McMahon made a call on October 26 and a meeting was set on October 30. “There’d be members of the Coalition who would’ve demanded a meeting, or requested a meeting with the Premier, and got it on the day they asked. It does happen from time to time,” Mr Cullen said. The language of Mr McMahon’s phone call setting up the meeting was more formal than friendly, the chief of staff said. “How many times have simple ‘meet and greets’ discussed major infrastructure projects such as this that have not been fully disclosed?” Mr Fang asked, echoing a line of questioning the political staffer faced for nearly an hour. Labor MP Bob Nanva challenged the question, saying it was outside the terms of reference, but Liberal committee chair Scott Farlow allowed the question, and Mr Cullen took the question on notice. “I would just make the general point … there is nothing untoward with stakeholders seeking out preliminary views from government before they then go and undertake the work that often is involved with the more formal unsolicited proposal process,” Mr Cullen said. Mr Cullen said he himself and Mr McMahon were acquaintances of 15 years through the Labor Party, but had not spent time together socially. “We met the record-keeping requirements here … completely comfortable with what we’ve done” Mr Cullen said. The chief of staff also stressed the government was publicly looking for chances to expand the Metro train network west. After the meeting the chief of staff “handed off” the racing executive to the Cabinet Office of NSW as the most appropriate senior contact for developing a proposal to develop Rosehill. The Select Committee on the Proposal to Develop Rosehill Racecourse held its fourth hearing in Sydney on Monday. The turf club still wants to sell its asset, but requires a member vote. If the club votes in favour, it will seek commitment from the government on a Metro station and rezoning. Giving evidence separately on Monday, the secretary of the state housing, planning and infrastructure department said Mr McMahon and she had a meeting the day before the turf club executive set up a meeting with the Premier. Department secretary, Kiersten Fishburn, said her recollection was the turf club considered reconfiguring Rosehill, but the club deemed it was not possible and the precinct was the club’s “premier” track. There has been talk that the 60-hectare site could accommodate 25,000 homes. But the committee has been trying to discern why exactly the turf club believed the project needed 40,000 houses to justify a new Metro station. “I’ve never heard that 40,000 number,” the Department of Planning secretary said in evidence. The select committee has been tasked with inquiring into the unsolicited sale proposal, the government involvement prior to the proposal, and the effects on housing, the Sydney Metro, parklands in western Sydney, the racing industry and animal welfare. The committee is due to report back by December 6.