Victoria Police are investigating an incident where a protester sprayed 1,000 litres of oily sludge on Flemington Racecourse tracks hours before Australia’s most famous horse race, the Melbourne Cup.
The person responsible has called themselves a "problem gambler" in a two-page statement published via the climate group Extinction Rebellion Victoria’s Twitter account.
In the statement, they called attention to what they described as the "toxic" racing industry’s far-reaching impacts.
“This is about Victorian Racing Club (VRC), and the toxic industry of which they are leaders, choosing to protect their racecourse against the impacts of climate change at the expense of people’s homes and livelihoods," they said.
The protester goes on to clarify the demonstration was against VRC’s decision to maintain , some residents say, made the devastation caused by the recent Victorian floods more severe.
“That wall should never have been built, what is known only as a racecourse to them, is a crucial natural floodplain that would have lowered flood levels in homes if not for the interests of the powerful racing and gambling industry," the said.
“For me, this act of corporate negligence and callous disregard is the final straw in a long line of horrors I have now come to know about this industry.”
The Flemington Racecourse flood wall was first built in 2007 but has lately prompted anger from the community amid Victoria's devastating floods. Credit: Ellen Sandell
“I first started gambling with a punt on the Melbourne Cup. It was easy to control and enjoy at the start…but soon enough I was dipping into savings, skipping social events to watch races, I realised that I wasn’t playing, I was being played," they said.
Victoria Police said the event occurred around 6am on Tuesday and has confirmed investigations by the Melbourne Crime Investigations Unit remain ongoing.
