The race that split Australia: how the Everest triggered a bitter NSW-Victoria feud

Conflict between Racing NSW and the other states has reached the courts as the parties have been unable to resolve their differences. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

A campaign to extend the term of the chair of Racing NSW threatens to further inflame its conflict with the other state racing bodies – led by Racing Victoria – which has thrown the multibillion-dollar industry into turmoil and paralysed the national governing body.

Russell Balding has been chair of Racing NSW for 12 years, well past the original statutory eight years, thanks to two previous extensions which required special legislation. Recent guidelines issued by NSW Treasury say directors of statutory corporations such as Racing NSW should “generally be for two terms of three years each”.