KARTING AUSTRALIA (NSW) – PRESIDENTS REPORT

KARTING AUSTRALIA (NSW) Inc. – PRESIDENTS REPORT

THE FIRST SIX MONTHS & LOOKING FORWARD

In Short:

• Licence numbers are UP. Event entries are UP.
• Race permit fees are the lowest in NSW in many years.
• Admin costs are down, and services are the same.
• We are providing well run, fun and exciting race meetings.
• Our objective for the next six months is to start to reunite our sport in NSW.

KANSW was formed in late 2018 to provide clubs in NSW choosing to stay affiliated with KA – the national body, an opportunity to do that. From the day we started we had the objectives of providing a low-cost administration structure and well-run race meetings that use the national rule book.

Have we achieved what we set out to achieve? We think we have.

Will we achieve our next objective? With your help we think we can.

Numbers:
40% of all licence holders in NSW are members of KANSW. Our first race meeting for the year was held in early February. The number of race entries for the six months since our first meeting has increased by 5% over last year. The number of licence holders within our five clubs has increased by 7.5% and we have achieved an operating profit slightly better than budget.

Costs to the Karter:
Contrary to popular belief, race permit fees have NEVER gone to KA. When setting up KANSW we picked the best bits out of the structure of other successful states to give our association a realistic income and administration. We charge a flat fee of $250 per race permit. This fee is the same no matter the number of race entries. In comparison, KNSW charge $27 per race entry – the more entries, the greater the race permit costs eg: 80 entries the permit fee paid to KNSW = $2,160.

We have managed to provide the cheapest kart racing in NSW in a long time by removing the costs associated with the state office. Permit fees paid by our clubs were $28,000 less than would have been paid to KNSW for the same race meetings.

Ability to Race:
The NSW State Championships hosted by NSKC at Eastern Creek in July had 167 entries, over 10 classes with drivers from NSW, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia with the winners able to display their hard earned, prestigious blue plate for the next 12 months anywhere across Australia. Our drivers can all race at AKC, Pro Tour or at events in any other State if they want to, using their KA licence. Racing under KNSW this is not possible, you are not able to compete and develop your skills against drivers from many different tracks across Australia. KANSW is providing well run, fun and exciting racing at all levels.

The Next Six Months:
KANSW is very much in favour of one national body overseeing our sport. KA delivers the administration and structure for that really effectively. When the Board of KA was put in place a few years ago they were given the job of moving the sport into the 21st century and that was always going to need some significant changes to how the sport was governed. This had to happen and whilst I haven’t agreed with every decision, most steps taken have been positive. Our objective for the next six months is to start to reunite our sport in NSW. It is clear to me from the views expressed to me by many karters that we cannot wait any longer. If you would like to talk about this further please feel free to contact me via email at [email protected] or on 0418 493 296

Dave Laughton
President
Karting Australia (NSW) Inc.