Mark Campbell, MRC Life Member, former Captain (1995) and President (1996-2000) wrote the below article in reasponse to several mosman Daily Articles and the former (2005) and recent (2006) Annual General Meetings:

It is clearly apparent that a number of members including Cr Menzies are determined to shoot the messenger, and not the circumstances (specifically: NSW State Government policy) which produced the message.

Mosman Rowing Club has not traded profitably for over 25 years. As our Vice President Mark Williams showed in a series of graphs using reported figures dating back to the early 1980’s, we have required members funds to remail solvent for all that time. Income from
rowing
activities has
actually exceeded expenditure
on rowing
for over ten yearsIncome from rowing activities has actually exceeded expenditure on rowing for over ten years, clearly a ridiculous state of affairs. Two major elements of government policy have ensured that we, just like many other small clubs, have struggled to continue trading. In that same period the value of many hotels has increased exponentially. Why?

The first blow was the introduction of ill-considered noise laws. With an old building having no possible chance of complying with these restrictions, a social club such as ours with a tradtion of live music dating back to the early 1900’s, had very little chance of remaining as a viable social spot. Young people with disposable income simply don’t drive to a quiet club with a lovely water view. The tragedy is that these laws have recently been partially repealed and modified - too late for many clubs like Mosman Rowers’.

The greatest blow, and the clear key to the explosion in hotel values, is obviously the introduction of poker machines to hotels. This disgraceful act of social vandalism has ensure the death of dozens of previously viable small and large clubs. When I became President of our Club in 1996, one of the first contacts was from the Harbord Diggers, at that time the shining light of New South Wales Clubs, highly profitable and with a long and proud history of social value to its members.

The manager and Board of the Diggers were leading voices against the mooted introduction of poker machines to hotels. Remember a hotel requires no membership, has minimal or non-existent Dress Regulations, and has NO compulsory stated social or sporting aim. We as a Board joined the unanimous voice of Club Directors from across the state against this insane social experiment - the gifting of income from gambling to individuals, something with no possible outcome except the enrichment of hotel owners and a short-term gain for the coffers of the State Government.

We wrote numerous letters, talked again and again to media outlets and so on. Despite enormous community oppostion, the State Government (with more than a few members owning or having “family interests in” hotels) introduced the “pokies” to hotels,and here we are ten years later:

• Harbord Diggers has recently been absorbed by the Mounties group of clubs, their reduction in poker machine income a tragic reminder of their efforts ten years ago.
• More than 99,500 poker machines are licensed in this state99,500 poker machines are licensed in this state - that’s one for every 40-odd men, women or children. Tragic, pathetic, insane - choose your own term or use all three. These machines were originally introduced to support the aims of non-profit clubs and societies , and instead have become the closely-guarded source of tax income for governments and ever-larger bank accounts for hoteliers.
• Dozens of small clubs disappear, close their doors or amalgamate every year, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future

One of the three major tenets of a free society, along with an independent judiciary and a free press, is a flourishing culture of free clubs, societies and associations. What has been done to social and sporting clubs by the decision to gift gambling income to individuals is a disgrace - but it is not the fault of the directors of Mosman Rowing Club.

It IS possible that with enough goodwill and determination, the social members may be able to maintain the Mosman Bay premises as a social outlet - but only if enough people who live within the immediate vicinity of the club are prepared to either utilise the club more often or subsidise its activities to the extent that it trades profitably.

Mark Campbell, Member #49
Captain 1995, President 1996-2000, Life Member

Some of the mentioned Mosman Daily articles are linked below:

• http://www.mosmandaily.com.au/article/2006/10/24/698_news.html
• http://www.mosmandaily.com.au/article/2006/08/16/563_news.html
• http://www.mosmandaily.com.au/article/2006/08/23/585_news.html

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This entry was posted by Mosman Rowing Club on Monday, October 30th, 2006 at 14:31and is filed under Articles, News. You can leave a response.