Tensions Rise As Spill Motion Gains Momentum

QUEENSLAND Greyhound Racing Club CEO, Peter Gleeson, is being backed to the hilt by participants as ‘The Q' gets ready to become the world's premier racing venue.

Gleeson is known throughout the country as a media influence through newspapers, radio and TV, and has significant political connections.

His "pull" with the newly elected Queensland state government has already seen Premier David Chrisafulli confirmed to officially open The Q in May.

Gleeson has already locked in a $100,000 sponsorship for The Q, and is close to sealing a $25,000 opening night sponsorship, coming on top of the decade-long Ladbrokes deal.

But, it is believed some members of the Club committee are at loggerheads with Gleeson even to the stage heated arguments have been held.

This has prompted club members and racing participants to rush to sign a petition, backing Gleeson and his position as CEO.

Racing Queensland is watching the developments closely and it is understood they will likely need to step in to resolve the tension unless Gleeson's fully fledged status is rubber-stamped.

It is believed a special meeting of the caretaker club committee has been called for Saturday morning where Gleeson's position will be discussed.

The current caretaker committee will be replaced by the Yamanto Board in May once ASIC confirms the new constitution.

Four Racing Queensland appointees to that board will be announced at the end of February.

They will join current club committee members Eleanor Wallace, Wade Core and Merv Page who have already been elected as board members.

Gleeson has been at the helm during a particularly tumultuous period with long-serving Brisbane Club president Les Bein dumped from the board.

The Brisbane Club's long serving CEO Luke Gatehouse departed at the same time.

Adding to tensions, Bein's successor, local trainer Graham Hall, subsequently missed out on a position on the Yamanto Board and resigned.

Gleeson played a pivotal role in the overwhelming vote of 115-1 to convert the constitution of the club to a company limited by guarantee. This was to allow the introduction at The Q of poker machines which will give the club a massive financial windfall to reinvest into racing.

He has been heavily involved in regulatory compliance matters and is close to signing off the lease of The Q with Racing Queensland.

The petition to secure Gleeson's tenure has been up for just a few hours and has already been swamped with support.

The petition also seeks signatures for a spill motion to overthrow the club committee at Saturday's special meeting.