Big win for Jones as Premier backs Racing NSW Opera House request

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has backed Racing NSW’s request to light up the Sydney Opera House sails with advertising for the Everest horse race.

The decision by the NSW Government to allow the iconic monument to be lit up by jockey colours, a trophy and Everest branding, follows an interview that Alan Jones conducted with Opera House CEO Louise Herron in which he suggested she should be sacked.

On Friday’s 2GB Breakfast show Jones repeatedly yelled “we” own the Opera House over the top of his interview subject.

“I’m telling you that I will be speaking to Gladys Berejiklian in about five, three minutes and if you can’t come to the party.

“Louise, you should lose your job.”

Herron’s insistence that the landmark not be commercialised has now been overruled by Premier Berejiklian and her Government, after two days of negotiation brokered by Sports Minister Stuart Ayers.

The agreement will allow Racing NSW to promote the Everest race with colours and branding, but not with horse names.

Shortly before the decision was made, Herron had expressed her concern about the precedent that would stem from allowing the Opera House to be used as a billboard.

“If we said yes to this, ‘we’re fine put the Everest logo on there’ our policy is worthless to us, we’re just going to allow whoever comes along to use the Opera House as a billboard,’ we would lose our World Heritage status,” she said.

Herron also told the SMH that she had received an outpouring of support following Jones’ aggressive interview.

A spokesperson for the Premier Berejiklian said that Herron had her support, but refused to answer whether Jones had spoken with the Premier following the explosive interview.