The long-awaited overhaul of the racing industry led by Winston Peters where small race tracks are shut down has led to a battle with members in the racing minister’s own Northland community.
What was once a place for thousands of locals to enjoy a day at the races in Dargaville is now a spot to grow kumara and graze sheep.
“It was a day everybody looked forward to, it was a day everybody turned up to,” Richard Alspach said of race meets.
Race lovers are worried their land and assets, owned by the Dargaville Racing Club, will be ripped out of community hands and confiscated by the government.
“They are stealing it, they are stealing our land from us, there's no talk of compensation. it's all give,” committee member Brian Campbell said.
The Racing Bill, which has had over 900 submissions, is part of major reforms led by Mr Peters.
“I made a promise to the racing industry that if you made submissions on this bill, they'd be seriously listened to,” Mr Peters said.
The racing fraternity agree the 1.6 billion industry needs a major overhaul.
Part of that will see 20 racecourses around the country closed down, but one of the sticking points is who owns that land and any assets on it.
The bill says it must be used to benefit the industry and as a last resort, the racing minister can take control of land.
“Yes, the industry needs reform, but don't do it with our assets,” Mr Alspach said.
The club is among many worried the focus is moving away from community race days to large scale betting operations.
“Second thing which is to the detriment of the racing industry, it'll kill any interest in racing from the local community, they'll just say you can go and get stuffed,” Mr Alspach said.
“They are angry, especially people whose parents and grandparents have spent half a lifetime here.”
Mr Peters denies it's a land grab in Dargaville, which is New Zealand First heartland, but locals are warning he won’t get a friendly welcome when he next visits.
“Here's a racecourse I put a lot of effort into myself, personally in terms of getting it upgraded, I even paid for the paint myself,” Mr Peters said.
“Winston has always been welcome at this racecourse, this is hometown and he used to came here every race meeting, he made his appearance here conspicuous, I don't think he'd be welcome to quite the same extent if he came here today,” Mr Alspach said.
Mr Peters said the track could still be saved.
“If the people of Dargaville band together, get a whole lot of women and men together and come up with a plan, they can save that racetrack, not just a whole lot of people scratching their bum and complaining,” he said.
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