AGP wants more women spectators

The traditional male motor racing fan will see more women trackside at the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne next year, if a plan by event organisers pays off.

The Australian Formula One Grand Prix Corporation on Monday was granted an exemption by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to sell discounted tickets exclusively to women.

The ruling will allow tickets to be colour coded on a gender basis -- pink for women and blue for men. It was handed down by VCAT Deputy President Cate McKenzie after a hearing on Monday morning.

The corporation applied for an exemption to section 83 of Victoria's Equal Opportunity Act to sell discounted tickets to women for the Traction venue at next year's Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park.

Traction is a fenced off area at corner four of the track. It includes a marquee, bar and viewing platform. It was introduced at this year's grand prix as an area where single men and women could socialise.

Grand Prix Corporation CEO Tim Bamford told the hearing most of the tickets would have to be pre-sold.

"The tickets include food and beverages so they need to be sold in advance for catering (purposes)," Mr Bamford said.

"It's a party. It's a way to get people otherwise not interested to go to the event."

The hearing was told that the corporation's research showed 85 per cent of attendees at the grand prix were men and the corporation wanted to use the discounted ticket offer to entice more women.

Jason McQuillan, for the corporation, said they wanted colour coded tickets to ensure that only women were admitted at the discount price and that a man trying to use that ticket would not gain entry.

"It is easy identification for security," Mr McQuillan said.

The corporation's marketing manager, Kate Heard, told the hearing that the discounted tickets would be offered several months before higher priced tickets went on sale to men.

But, she said, men would not be disadvantaged.

"We would try to create an environment in which it was equal," Ms Heard said.

"Probably limit (the number sold to women) to 50 per cent of tickets."

The corporation was deciding on the number of the discounted tickets it would sell and when they would go on sale.

Ms McKenzie said the exemption would apply until October, 2009, and that the corporation would be required to submit a report on gender balance during that period.

She granted the exemption on the grounds that it applied only to Traction tickets and not to general admission.

This was not the first time that VCAT had granted an exemption based on gender.

In mid-2005, the Chaise Lounge and F4 clubs were granted exemptions to control the number of single men and women entering the nightclub to maintain a gender balance within those clubs.