The Targa Review Panel recently met with key stakeholders in Melbourne.
 
The Panel was appointed by the Board of Motorsport Australia to investigate the conduct of tarmac rallies in Australia and to make recommendations as to the conditions under which such events could recommence.
 
Present at the hearing were representatives of Targa Tasmania, Adelaide Rally, Targa West, the Tarmac Rally Competitors Association and Motorsport Australia.
 
The Review Panel comprises Garry Connelly (Chair), Matthew Selley and Neal Bates. The Chair of Motorsport Australia’s Risk and Safety Committee, Ian Gillespie, also attended.
 
The stakeholders had been previously provided with a draft of the Panel’s Report and had subsequently submitted their written comments on the specific recommendations proposed in it.
 
As a result of the meeting, the Panel will now review its proposed recommendations taking into account the input from all stakeholders.
 
The Panel expressed its appreciation of the constructive and collaborative manner in which the stakeholders participated in an endeavour to arrive at a set of recommendations to present to the Motorsport Australia Board for its consideration.

The Panel is now confident that it will be able to submit its Final Report to the Board and the Motorsport Australia Risk and Safety Committee shortly.
 
The recommendations will be considered by the Risk and Safety Committee which will then make final recommendations to the Board.
 
It is anticipated that the Motorsport Australia Board will be in a position to consider a decision on the recommendations in late January or early February.
 
The Review Panel’s recommendations will address all areas of tarmac rallies including course design, stage selection and management, competition vehicle eligibility, safety equipment and preparation, crew licensing, training and monitoring and the conduct of the tour components of events.