Two scratched from VRC election race before ballot

Former Melbourne Racing Club committee member Justin O’Kane and former South Melbourne publican Andrew Lewis confirmed to The Age they will not be appearing on the ballot at the end of this month after their nominations were ruled invalid.

The election for four seats on the VRC board is shaping as the most hotly contested in the Flemington-based club’s storied history. Chairman Neil Wilson is stepping down at the December 15 annual general meeting, creating one vacancy, while chairman-elect Vin Cox, treasurer Glenn Carmody and director Michael Saadie are all up for re-election.

O’Kane said the VRC had ruled his nomination invalid because he was unable to provide an up-to-date police check in time. His police paperwork arrived on Monday, four days after nominations closed at 5pm on Thursday, November 5. “I applied for a police check on November 2,” O’Kane said. “It was referred for manual review, meaning that instead of being processed within minutes, the report could take up to 20 business days. Manual reviews occur in nearly 30 per cent of cases. “I provided the club with a police check I had obtained in August 2026 and explained that the delay in receiving the updated check was outside my control. “The club rejected both police checks, leaving my nomination invalid.” He said there was a delay in the nomination papers reaching him after he requested them from the VRC, which reduced the time available to complete the process. “I accept the club’s decision and will not stand in this year’s election,” he said.

Lewis also had issues fulfilling the nomination requirements in time, but indicated he was more interested in standing at next year’s VRC elections.

Former MRC chairman John Kanga has nominated for the VRC board. In a statement before nominations closed, Kanga said he was an “independent candidate” and was not aligned to influential industry figure and Melbourne Racing Club vice chairman Jonathan Munz. The emergence of Kanga’s name threw the process into a tailspin last week as VRC members celebrated the final days of Melbourne Cup week. Australian Trainers’ Association chairman Troy Corstens publicly endorsed Kanga’s nomination on Oaks Day.

At least three other names remain in the boardroom race: wealthy Toorak businessman Bill Guest, ex-Tabcorp executive Nicholas Tzaferis and Strathbogie deputy mayor Claire Ewart-Kennedy. Candidates are expected to front the VRC’s remuneration and nominations committee in coming days to prove their suitability to stand.

The Age reported in September that O’Kane had also nominated for this year’s Melbourne Racing Club board election. He was passed to run, but pulled out, claiming he was not given procedural fairness by the MRC’s nomination, remuneration and governance subcommittee. The MRC denied the allegation, saying it was “committed to a fair and transparent election process”.