Former chief greyhound steward Jamie Dart appointed Queensland’s director of stewarding and licensing

JAMIE Dart, who was chief steward of the greyhound industry at the time of the live baiting scandal, has controversially been appointed to Queensland’s highest stewarding role.

JAMIE Dart, who was chief steward of the greyhound industry at the time of the live baiting scandal, has controversially been appointed to Queensland’s highest stewarding role.

Dart has been acting in the role of director of stewarding and licensing since last September and the position was made official after a formal appointment process was completed this week.

Dart was appointed by a panel comprising Queensland Racing integrity commissioner Ross Barnett, Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey and Detective Superintendent Mark Ainsworth, who was head of the greyhound taskforce and has been racing integrity adviser at Racing Queensland.

Dart’s role gives him overall responsibility for stewards across the three codes of racing and the licensing department.

Barnett said Dart’s appointment was made on merit and he denied it was a controversial choice.

“It’s a full and open merit selection process and he was the unanimous choice of the panel,’’ Barnett said. “Do I consider it controversial? No. It was just done on merit.’’

Dart survived the cull at Racing Queensland last year, which saw the axing of chief executive Darren Condon, all three RQ boards and Dart’s predecessor Wade Birch in a fallout from the live baiting scandal.

Queensland Racing integrity commissioner Ross Barnett.

Shadow Minister for Racing Jon Krause said the appointment cast a shadow on the QRIC operation.

“He was chief steward of the greyhound industry when the live baiting scandal was opposed. It happened on his watch,” Krause said.

“It makes a mockery of the Government’s commitment to improve integrity and animal welfare.

“It also confirms fears within the industry about QRIC being set up as a big bureaucracy but making no real difference. Looking at figures and costs, there’s an extra $10 million being spent on staffing and administration.

“This raises serious questions and doubts about how QRIC is performing and how the Government is managing the racing industry.”

Barnett dismissed the notion that Dart should accept some responsibility for the failure to detect live baiting practices by greyhound trainers.

“I wasn’t present when that part of the history occurred, but there are no reasons that I am aware of that would prevent his appointment for this role,” Barnett said. “His tenure as chief greyhound steward did not attract any adverse mention in the MacSporran Report and in fact, he was part of the team that worked for Allan in responding to the Four Corners (ABC TV investigation of live baiting) report.

“He clearly had the support of the then senior RQ management (Justice John Muir and Ian Hall), who appointed him in the acting role last September and he has performed competently in the role throughout the period since I arrived in late February.”

Originally published as Former chief greyhound steward Jamie Dart appointed Queensland’s director of stewarding and licensing