Victoria Park mayor Karen Vernon has emerged as a prominent detractor of a plan between Supercars and the current West Australian state government to create a new street race event.
Mooted for 2027 the street race would likely be the season opener and have Supercars racing with the Perth city skyline as the background.
Vernon, whose council surrounds Burswood Park but does not control it, made her opposition to the idea public last week.
This week she has continued her campaign against the street race with a wild claim on local radio that it is part of a secretive government plot.
According to Vernon, the state government is preparing to shift Perth Motorplex from its current base in the industrial part of Kwinana, more than 30 kilometres from the city, to the ritzy Burswood Peninsula.
That would happen as part of another government project, moving Perth’s sea freight port from Fremantle to Kwinana – and would result in the far-fetched notion of inner city speedway and drag racing.
“This is the rumour that I heard at the end of last week, and looking into it, and exploring a bit about Westport,” Vernon told 6PR radio.
“There’s something much deeper going on about this announcement from the state Labor government that they’re going to put a motorplex on Burswood Park.
“Because let’s face it, that’s what it is. It’s not a motorised street circuit, because that is something temporary. This is entirely a motorplex.
“Now Westport has a precinct planned. It’s a state government initiative. It’s one of the biggest pieces of infrastructure that a state government in Western Australia will build to create the new container port at Kwinana.”
She continued: “The current Westport website says they’re looking at the moment at the voluntary resumption of land needed for the Westport precinct and, of course, after that, there might need to be compulsory resumption of land.
“It’s already been reported in 2023 by the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Industry that there was a likelihood that the Perth Motorplex would need to move for that future expansion and delivery of that port.
“If you’re going to do that in the future you can’t just say to the Perth Motorplex people that you’ve got a few months, or six months, or 12 months, to find yourself someplace else.
“Lo and behold, a motorplex comes out of nowhere to be built at Burswood Park. And to be delivered to quickly, it’s said to be ready for the 2027 race season with construction to start in 2025.”
Vernon backed a play from the City of Wanneroo to have the street racing funding re-directed to the existing Wanneroo Raceway, reiterating her theory that the Burswood plan is a government plot.
“Nothing about this Burswood location makes sense,” she said. “Something is happening and that’s what I’m really concerned about.
“If there is a hidden agenda, I think people need to know what it is. Somebody needs to come forward and tell the truth.”
Vernon finished her interview by listing her motorsport credentials after being asked if she is simple anti-cars.
“When I was watching the Supercars over the weekend I was remembering about my own visits to Eastern Creek,” she said. “I remember going to see Peter Brock race in the eastern states.
“I’ve been to the [Australian] Grand Prix. I’m a bit of a ‘rev-head’. I’ve even raced around Langley Park in a super stage part of Rally Australia years ago when I was in the classic rally.
“I actually enjoy motorsport. But I know there are people who don’t.
“I’m a believer [that] it needs to be in the right location and fans of that sport will go to any location to see it, because they are there for the racing, not for the scenery.”
