By ROD HENSHAW

IT’S unusual to see a government minister exuding anything resembling wild
enthusiasm when he or she is tasked with the job of opening a project, or launching an event. They do hundreds of them each year.

But for ACT Emergency Services Minister, Mick Gentleman, the excitement was
palpable, when he was launching the 2019 Netier National Capital Rally at Kowen
Forest on the outskirts of Queanbeyan on Thursday (March 21).

His high-octane level of glee is probably not surprising after you discover he has raced
these rally beasts for about 40 years. In short, the Honourable Minister is a self-
confessed rev head.

Essentially it was a media event, where us plebs of the fourth estate were treated to
a hair-raising, dust-encrusted lap or two of a specially selected course where the
forces of gravity seemed to be an irrelevance.

This year’s rally, on May 11, will again see around 30 to 40 cars do battle on the
challenging circuit through Pierces and Uriarra Forest. The organisers have decided
to run the event over a single day this year, which they say will give spectators
easier access to all four stages.

Molly Taylor is one of a growing number of women who have contributed to
eliminating the “men’s-only sport” image of rally racing. She’s been either a co-driver
or driver for around 12 years and is in her fourth year with the Subaru Rally Team. It’s
also her fourth year behind the wheel in the National Capital Rally.

And how do mum and dad feel about their young daughter seemingly risking life and
limb at the mercy of a rally course? Not a problem, actually. Both her father and
mother are deep into the sport.

“Mum did it professionally. She’s a role model for me,” Molly says.

While the sport is very tightly regulated, there’s the ever-present danger component

“There’s always the element of risk in motor sport, but the amount of technology and
the amount of emphasis we have on safety is incredible,” Molly says.

“And the cars are very, very strong. We have the best equipment, so we try to
mitigate all the risk we can.”

Meanwhile, as the cars start revving up for the media joyrides, one can’t help
observing Minister Gentleman, who looks like he needs to have the smile on his
face surgically removed before he heads back to the Assembly to face Question
Time in a few short hours.

“It’s fantastic for Canberra to bring tourists in for this sort of event,” he says.

“It really is a different sporting event for the ACT. We call it the ‘thinking person’s’
motor sport because it really is technical.”

“It’s about the team effort of the driver, the co-driver, the whole team – the service team as well”

This does seem strange coming from the mild-mannered minister Mick – until
he explains his rally car origins.

“Back in 1979, we raced through the streets of Macarthur and a couple of other
suburbs in Tuggeranong before houses were there.”

“I haven’t done any serious competition for a couple of years now because work just
pulls you away.”

He reminisces about the adrenalin which undoubtedly courses through the body and
one could be forgiven for thinking it never subsided for Mick Gentleman.

“You go from nought to 200 kilometres an hour in a few seconds. You’ll be turning
left in front of a tree at 120 kilometres an hour.”

Maybe it’s not dissimilar to a day in the Assembly when things are tense, I venture.

“It’s probably safer in the car,” he replies.