LNP would overhaul Queensland Racing Integrity Commission if it wins government
The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission would be radically overhauled under a LNP government, saving millions of dollars that would be redirected to prizemoney.
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An LNP government would radically overhaul the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission, halving its annual cost of $28 million and redirecting a big chunk of that saving to prizemoney.
The LNP racing policy, to be announced today, addresses QRIC and the need for a review to look at “unnecessary spending, lengthy disciplinary processes and integrity issues’’.
The aim is to more closely align Queensland with the NSW and Victorian integrity models, which cost those states about $12 million a year.
The LNP will also abolish the all-codes board model, meaning the three codes, thoroughbreds, harness and greyhounds, would return to having their own boards.
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LNP racing spokesman John Paul Langbroek said going back to the three boards would enable codes to “control their own destiny, rather than have decisions made for it by people from a completely different sport’’.
The RQ board will remain, effectively meaning four boards. The control boards will not have the power to make decisions without the approval of Racing Queensland.
A “spill’’ of senior board positions at RQ would occur post-election. It’s understood a review will also be undertaken into senior executive roles.
An appointment panel would be established to ensure the depoliticisation of the appointment process.
Mr Langbroek said the disciplinary system needed an urgent overhaul.
“The enforcement of the rules of racing is best placed in the hands of racing stewards, who are capable of making reasonable judgment into whether a person has contravened a rule of racing,’’ he said.
Similar to NSW, the LNP proposes a specialist appeal panel for thoroughbreds, as well as a Racing Appeals Tribunal for greyhounds and harness participants, which will act as the last point for appeals.
The LNP will remove QCAT’s involvement with disciplinary matters, except when a question of law arises.
“The establishment of the appeals tribunal will help to regain confidence in the integrity of the racing industry,’’ Mr Langbroek said.
Meanwhile, remember Labor’s decision to impose a Point of Consumption tax on corporate bookies? It sparked industrial action and resulted in a strike on Cox Plate day two years ago. The government caved in and gave the industry an extra $30 million. Well, Treasury documents show the government reaped $116 million from the POC in 2019-20, $15 million more than they had forecasted. Not a bad little earner.