Neoliberal Power Politics and the Controversial Siting of the Australian Grand Prix Motorsport Event in an Urban Park

International motorsport events evoke the discourses and imagery of internationalism, while serving as occasions for the promotion of the host city as a “world-class” place. From a boosterist perspective, these spectacles are seen as markers of civic progress and triumph over adversity in the postindustrial era. This paper explores some of the tensions that follow from this, through a case study of the controversial siting of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix event at Albert Park near the downtown core of Melbourne, Australia. This case raises a number of issues about the process of securing and hosting international sporting events in major urban public places. Since the state government first secured the rights to the franchise in 1993, local residents, protesters, sporting clubs, park users and the broader community have had their legal rights abrogated by activity, legislation and policing associated with the Grand Prix at Albert Park.