When Mismanagement is the Excuse for Management

[RaceTime]

By Bruce Polain

The culture that infects CAMS now pervades the whole body. Years ago, early signals were ignored and the mismaagement culture has now moved into every limb. What passes for bold initiatives, to curb the disease, are in fact no more than the creation of smoke to hide the reality and mirrors reflecting a picture that is far from the truth.

It was the legendry Bob Jane who aptly described the management style of CAMS as "Smoke and Mirrors" and there are many instances where this unfortunate tag is evident.

For instance, when the "new age" insurance was announced in June last year I emailed Dr Nethercote as follows: "Regrettably the failure to mention that the excess has risen to $100,000 (from $25,000 previously) not only creates a situation reminiscent of self insurance but in part it disputes the accolades you have claimed”.

Dr Nethercote's response followed on July 2nd. "We have heard that our original media release may have been misinterpreted but this read in conjunction with today's media release should make it clear".

However, as existence of the $100,000 excess was never mentioned in the June release, the accusation of "misinterpretation" was a classic example of "Smoke and Mirrors" as, without divine intervention, no one could have deduced this startling new revelation formed part of the original release.

Full text here: (4000 words)

http://www.racenews.com.au/?racenews=6018

[Kerri]

Holy Sh** was that a biggy or what. I just spent the last 15 mins reading this one. Who is Bruce Polain Race?

[Kerri]

Ha this guy got some big OO or what?

[Kerri]

Lots of Smoke & Mirrors

[RaceTime]

Kerri - discussion continued via the link on the bottom of the document posted on RaceNews...

[Big Trev]

Oh god, they keep getting better and better don't they. Smoke and MIrrors is so appropriate.

[just a racer]

Oh no, not another CAMS bashing thread..........
Can this one be merged with all the other ones?
Same song, different tune.

[RaceTime]

Have you read the article or are you simply making an assumption?

[just a racer]

I have just read it again.
An excellent article on what we already knew.
Can we convince CAMS to post THAT on their web site?
I think not................

[Matthew Ronke]

A very good point is made in this article. Why did fees rise over 100% to cover insurance costs, CAMS then announce that insurance fees have risen over 100%, then when Bob Jane put out a press release about CAMS 100% insurance fee rises they say he is wrong, overall insurance fees only went up 70%. Then CAMS go on to tell him how good their Financial position is at present. I think Bruce Polain sums it up nicely when he says good financial management from deception not good management.

Bruce is a former NSW state Delegate of CAMS and left this positions after becoming disillusioned with them.

Just a Racer I think your missing the point of what Bruce is saying. This is certainly not CAMS bashing, Bruce says in his article that he has spoken & emailed CAMS a number of times on these issues and the responses he has received can only be described as ordinary. It therefore begs the question of who CAMS are accountable too. We have heard from many people in here over different threads in certainly is not the members anymore. When some Like Bruce Polain question the conduct of CAMS he it is labelled as CAMS bashing, where as a search for the true an accurate account of what is transpiring in motorsport are all that these people are after. If CAMS don't wish to become accountable to it members then of course we will see these issue denigrate to CAMS bashing. I guess the Ball is in CAMS court.

[RaceTime]

Was any reason given by CAMS for the removal of Mick ROnke from the Track Safety Committee?