Funding fillip for racing industry
THE Tasmanian Government has thrown racing industry participants a lifeline by offering to commit $2 million per month of industry coffers to keep racing animals in work during the shutdown.
Last Thursday Premier Peter Gutwein closed the shutters on racing for four weeks owing to issues with industry participants travelling to different regions to attend race meetings during the COVID19 crisis. With no suitable regionalisation strategy in place the government was left with no option but to shut the industry down.
“The support package of around $2 million per month is aimed at ensuring stakes money will continue to be paid to the racing industry through the postponement,” Racing Minister Jane Howlett said.
A greater proportion of the $2 million will come from stake money that would have been allocated to the industry per month and the balance will come from the State Government in the form of a loan.
“I acknowledge the postponement of racing will impact all three racing codes, and this support package will assist industry participants to derive income while choosing whether to keep their animals in work,” Ms Howlett said. “Animal welfare is at the heart and centre of this package, with payments for trainers based on the number of animals they have registered to ensure their welfare is maintained.”
Hall of fame thoroughbred trainer Gary White said he wouldn’t make an assessment of the support package until he sees details of how the $2 million would be distributed.
“At the moment all we know is $2 million is being made available, but how that is going to be shared around won’t be known for at least 24 hours and I’m sure that’s when industry participants will make further comments on the package,” White said.
“All I know is that the owners are the ones who need to be looked after here, because without them we don’t have an industry.”
The state’s leading harness trainer Ben Yole and top greyhound mentor Anthony Bullock mirrored White’s comments.
Governing body Tasracing will work with Tasmania’s racing industry participants on the implementation of the support package.
“The support package will be funded by a contribution from Tasracing and a loan from the Tasmanian Government,” Tasracing CEO Paul Eriksson said.
“We will be consulting with representatives from the thoroughbred, harness and greyhound codes over the next 24 hours to outline and agree on details of the package. As noted previously, the welfare of racing animals is a key issue for the industry to manage during this shutdown period.
“We want to be in a good position to return to racing when the shutdown is lifted.”
Eriksson said cash assistance for each animal varied depending on the code and that the support package implementation would be administered by Tasracing with support from the Office of Racing Integrity.