Stewards not hot over base in city

ROSS Barnett will officially start as Racing Integrity Commissioner this week as stewards wait anxiously to hear how their roles will change.

Ross Barnett begins his new role as Racing Integrity Commissioner this week. Picture: Scott Fletcher

ROSS Barnett will officially start as Racing Integrity Commissioner this week as stewards wait anxiously to hear how their roles will change coming under the umbrella of a government department.

Stewards remain in the dark on where they will be stationed and how the logistics will work with them being taken away from the racing precinct of Deagon to be part of the new Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC).

Stewards field constant visits from licensees, while the investigative unit often has ‘‘walk-ins’’ to Deagon offering information.

Stewards have concerns a move to a city base will take away the ease of access licensees now have.

One of the concerns canvassed by stewards is the detachment of stewarding from the apprentice training department, which under the guidance of the now departed Gabrielle Passlow was considered a genuine success story.

“There’s no understanding of how the industry is run and there’s a sense that no one actually knows what is happening,” one stipe said.

It also came as a shock to stewards to see the announcement made last week of appointments to the Racing Disciplinary Board until the end of December.

Racing Minister Grace Grace’s office on Sunday clarified the extension of chairman Brock Miller’s contract and his fellow RDB panellists was merely to provide time to clear matters which occur up to June 30.

Any offences made after July 1 will be dealt with by QRIC.

Seven new positions with QRIC have been advertised, including deputy commissioner, director of stewarding and policy manager, with a closing date of Friday week.

Originally published as Stewards not hot over base in city