Sport
17 October, 2025
Council says ‘neigh’ to Bong Bong Races
Bong Bong Picnic Race Club will miss out on a community grant after Wingecarribee Shire Council decided to take a stance on gambling.
Bong Bong Picnic Race Club will miss out on a community grant after Wingecarribee Shire Council decided to take a stance on gambling.
Council staff had originally recommended – as part of a much larger report relating to council’s Community Financial Assistance Program – that the club receive a $4000 grant under the Community Events Sponsorship Stream for promotions, administration assistance and a pavilion bathroom renovation.
A number of councillors claimed a conflict of interest relating to the grants and left the chamber before the report was discussed.
The original staff recommendation was moved by Cr Therese Duffy with the addition of funding for the Medway Community Association for a defibrillator for Medway Hall.
Cr Heather Champion moved an amendment that the money for marketing Bong Bong Picnic Races be withdrawn and put towards supporting the Medway Community Association.
She said council “shouldn’t be funding not-for-profits involved in the gambling industry”.
“I don’t believe that’s benefitting the community,” Cr Champion said.
“NSW is one of the jurisdictions in the world with the greatest amount of gambling harm.
“We have one of the worst problems facing the community and I think it is inappropriate for council grants, particularly at this level of community support, to be going towards something that is embedded in the gambling industry,” Cr Champion said.
“Specifically, I think it is inappropriate for us as a council to be supporting marketing around an organisation that supports gambling and I’m very concerned about the implications for council’s involvement in that and I think it is far more appropriate to reallocate that funding accordingly.”
Councillors were advised that the Bong Bong Picnic Races was an eligible activity under council’s existing Community Financial Assistance Framework and it would be difficult to consider Cr Champion’s request within the existing policy framework.
They were also advised that money couldn’t be moved from one financial assistance stream to another as Cr Champion was requesting.
Cr Duffy said Bong Bong Picnic Races was a “great event” that “brings a lot of people into our wonderful shire”.
Cr Rachel Russell welcomed Cr Champion’s stance on gambling.
“I don’t find that this is a strategic use of council money or aligned in any way with our strategic vision for the shire,” she said.
“We could be providing in-kind support for the promotion however I doubt, because of the success of Bong Bong Picnic Races in previous years, I doubt that in any way it will make people aware who aren’t already aware by using this money whereas we have other requests for funds based on needs – not a great day out at the races.”
Cr Russell said council needed to be a role model on the issue.
She said anyone who said they “just have a flutter” was not only lucky enough to be able to afford it but also avoided the “considerable burdens on families and on mental health associated with this industry”.
When Cr Champion’s amendment was lost, Cr Russell moved a new amendment replacing financial support for the Bong Bong Picnic Race Club with in-kind marketing support through “usual council communications”.
She also asked that it come with a rider that council “does not support gambling activities but does support a good day out”.
Council will also update its community financial assistance policy to include a stipulation that it does not support gambling activity and will place the updated policy and associated framework on public exhibition.
Cr James Farrell expressed concern that council was “getting into an area outside our scope of responsibility”.
Cr Champion disagreed.
“Where we might be getting into the weeds by directing staff on exactly where grants can and can’t go, to make a change to the policy framework in alignment with what we perceive to be appropriate values and strategy is probably exactly where we should be,” she said.
The amended motion – which still included funds for a defibrillator for the Medway Community Association – was carried.
Read More: Bowral, Southern Highlands