The "Moto GP" should

not be held in the park lands. There is no reason to hold here at all. I would go so far as to suggest it should not be held anywhere. I see no point in any sort of motorbike or any other sort of vehicle race. 

This is coming from someone who is all too well aware that two of her nephews have been involved in racing go-karts for many years. Their father has provided thousands of hours of engineering expertise to it all. Youngest nephew is a national champion and I should be proud of him. I am - but wish it was for something different.

At least the go-karts are raced on a dedicated racing circuit well away from city streets. The Moto GP will not be. It will be held by blocking off city streets, denying access to some and their businesses. There will be many others who will have difficulty getting to and from their places of employment or need to work from home.  It will be noisy.

We are told the circuit is "safe" and that it has been "approved". I just hope that is correct and that nobody is injured or, even worse, killed on the track. One motorcycle cop, trained to the nth degree, has told me he has doubts about the track. He also wishes the whole thing was not taking place, "Because it gives idiots ideas about the sort of thing they can do." 

And then there is the other thing that bothers me. This circuit is going through the park lands which surround the city. Those park lands were never intended for that sort of thing. They were designed to surround the city's central business area. It was done a long time ago now, done before we even had cars or motor bikes. They were supposed to be a place where people could walk and relax. 

Over the years that has changed. There are "sports fields" on the park lands. A racecourse, now abandoned, was built. A circus has come and gone on occasions. There have been fetes and fares and festivals too. Most of these things have had minimal impact on the area. They have managed to leave the trees there. 

Taking away so many trees for a short term motor bike race is not what we need. All the claims about the race being good for the state's economy are nonsense. It will be a very few who will benefit. There will be many more who will not. Some will even be financially disadvantaged.  Their businesses may have been there years before. They have previously endured car races and the related financial impact. 

This time however things could be very different. The economy has changed. There are too many businesses clinging by a thread. It is not simply because of poor business practices. It is because the economy has changed. 

I know of one person who is "retiring" as a result. He could not sell his business. Nobody wanted to buy in that location. His landlord would like to sell the building but doing it right now would mean an immense loss. I am told they both doubt there are enough people with discretionary income to make the money the state government is hoping to make. 

"The Premier was warned about LIV golf and he is being warned about this. He isn't listening," the person retiring told me, "And we are losing the park lands because of it."

It would be good if the money the Premier says will be made was returned to the upkeep of the park lands, more trees and seats and playgrounds for the children. All that is going to happen is that we will lose more trees. It is not what the designer of this city intended.