Callum Pull to push council vote on bringing back Newcastle 500

19 February 2026

newy.com.au – Newcastle Liberal councillor Callum Pull will move a motion at City of Newcastle’s Ordinary Council Meeting on Tuesday 24 February 2026 calling for the return of the Newcastle 500 Supercars event.

Pull said the motion was designed to gauge councillor support for reviving the race after it was cancelled in 2023, when council resolved its relationship with Supercars had concluded and, he said, the NSW Government was unwilling to agree to a multi-year deal.

“Had the Council decided to go ahead with a one-year agreement in 2023/24 it would have bought time to negotiate a further multi-year deal,” Pull said in a statement released on Wednesday.

He blamed the loss of the event on “a concerted campaign from anti-Supercars activists and political pressures”, describing it as “a first-class event which put Newcastle on the map, set us up as a truly global city, and attracted international talent”.

Pull said the council debate would help clarify where elected representatives stood following “recent speculation on the Race’s return”. “This will be an opportunity to answer that question and to test support for the race’s return,” he said.

He stressed the motion would not amount to an agreement to host the event, saying it was “a statement of intent, not a final deal”. Pull said a successful vote would start negotiations with Supercars and the state government, calling it “the first step in trying to bring back the Newcastle 500”.

Pull said the event delivered significant economic benefits and was missed by many locals. “It brought $30 million to our local economy every year it was here, and encouraged other big ticket performers and events to come to Newcastle,” he said.

He also argued the race had not been given time to settle into the city’s calendar because of COVID-19 disruptions. “Had it been given five clean years we would’ve seen disruption decrease, and allowed the race to become a natural part of our annual calendar,” Pull said, adding that “securing a multi-year deal will be key” to reducing impacts for residents.

Central Coast councillor Jared Wright said the event delivered benefits beyond Newcastle, describing it as “a significant driver of economic activity for that broader collective region” and a boost for “local small and family businesses”.

Mitchell Griffin, from Newcastle Supercars’ Supporters Club, said the race was “dearly missed” and said its return would signal the Hunter was “back open for major events again”. Griffin said that in 2018 “more than 190,000 visitors came to Newcastle for the three day event” and argued that with “better scheduling and consultation we can address impacts on residents and bring this event back”.

Pull encouraged supporters to contact councillors ahead of the 24 February meeting to back the motion.