Fine for racehorse cruelty just a ‘slap on the wrist’, MP says

An independent MP has called on the Racing Minister to resign over the handling of a complaint of cruel treatment of a racehorse. LATEST >

Independent MP Kristie Johnston speaks to the media on parliament Lawns in Hobart on Tuesday, March 28, 2023.

The fines for the beating of a racehorse with a PVC pipe were a “pathetic slap on the wrist” and emblematic of the weak regulation of racing in Tasmania, independent MP Kristie Johnston said.

Ms Johnston said she had been deeply disturbed by the beating of the thoroughbred at a Brighton training facility in September last year.

She said the results of the stewards investigation had only just been made publicly available.

Trainer Sarah Cotton and stablehand Mel Cotton were found guilty of conduct detrimental to the interests of racing over the incident.

The stewards report noted Mel Cotton “made contact to the rump of a horse with a piece of polypipe when attempting to entice it to enter the track swimming pool”.

The report noted video of the incident showed the contact was “of low impact”.

Independent MP Kristie Johnston speaks to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart on Tuesday, March 28, 2023.

Both trainer and stablehand were fined $400, with $200 of the fine suspended for two years.

“This is nothing more than a pathetic slap on the wrist,” Ms Johnston said in parliament.

“Similar offences in mainland jurisdictions have resulted in penalties of much higher fines and lengthy suspensions from racing.

“The whole racing industry — greyhound, thoroughbred and harness — is riddled with participants who put making money ahead of animal welfare.”

She called on Racing Minister Madeleine Ogilvie to resign.

“Minister, this is happening on your watch and the buck stops with you.”

Ms Ogilvie said she was keen to focus on reforming the industry.

“As I have said – and I think Ms Johnston and I would agree – probity, integrity and animal welfare are critical issues,” she said.

“They are issues that we care about, that matter. As I have said and I will always do, I will elevate and accelerate our response as we need to.”