Dr Denis Napthine to lead independent taskforce review into welfare of retired horses

Racing participants have welcomed the establishment of a new independent taskforce to review and improve the welfare of retired racehorses in Australia.

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Racing participants have welcomed the establishment of a new independent taskforce, to be headed by former Victorian Premier Dr Denis Napthine, to review and improve the welfare of retired racehorses in Australia.

The working group, which is entirely independent of the racing and breeding industries, has been set up by participants, including the peak bodies of Australia’s breeders, trainers and jockeys and will comprise four expert members in the fields of veterinary science and animal welfare.

It follows the exposure last October of many racehorses being sent to slaughter after being retired from racing.

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Former Victorian premier Denis Napthine will head a new independent taskfoce to review the welfare of retired racehorses. Picture: AAP

The taskforce will conduct a thorough investigation into the number of horses processed by abattoirs and knackeries each year, review horse number requirements, consider regulatory arrangements for retired horses, and make recommendations on how the thoroughbred and breeding industries can have world’s best animal welfare standards.

The key element is for this to be achieved on a holistic national basis, rather than state-by-state jurisdiction.

During his time in parliament, Napthine also served as Victoria’s racing minister. Before entering politics, he was a veterinarian and worked for the State Government where he prosecuted a number of animal welfare cases.

The other members of the group are the RSPCA’s chief Science and strategy officer Dr Bidda Jones, Australian Veterinary Association director Dr Ken Jacobs, and Jack Lake, who was a senior advisor on agricultural policy in the Hawke, Keating and Rudd Governments.

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia chief executive Tom Reilly said every participant he had approached, be it an owner, trainer or breeder, had been supportive and pledged to help fund the project.

“Everyone in the thoroughbred industry knows that if we can improve, we must improve,” he said. “That’s our responsibility.

“This initiative is being driven by participants because they are the people that care for the horses and acknowledge they have a responsibility to provide leadership in how the industry deals with our challenges in the future.”

Queensland’s premier trainer Tony Gollan said racing needs to understand welfare is a real issue and this taskforce was a good starting point.

“The sooner we get a clear structural plan for our retired racehorses, the better,” Gollan said.

“It makes absolute sense and every participant should be getting behind something like this. It’s very important for our horses and very important for our industry going forward.”

Trainer Tony Gollan praised the establishment of the taskforce. Picture: AAP

Peter Tighe, the Queensland-based part-owner of wonder horse Winx, said he was “100 per cent supportive” of the initiative.

“If done nationally, it can be done in a proper and measured way, taking it to a new level for all the animals involved,” Tighe said. “We race horses in four different states and we would like to see guidelines of this type uniform across Australia.”

Racing Queensland chief executive Brendan Parnell described the taskforce as a positive initiative.

“Every participant should take collective responsibility and it’s another sign the industry takes this seriously. We can always reflect on the past so we can do a better job in the future,” he said.