BARRIERS TO CREDIBILITY

IT’S been a shocker of a year for the Tasmanian racing industry. And, whether you’re a fan of the “sport of kings” or not, it matters. Tasmanians are no longer willing to be the butt of mainlander jokes because we live an enviable lifestyle on our island paradise.

When it comes to sport, some of the country’s top athletes hail from the Apple Isle. Be it Tim Paine, Richie Porte or Stewart McSweyn to name but a few, we’re successful, ambitious and aspirational about our competitive edge.

As such, Tasmania successfully secured the opportunity to host a hub for this Big Bash League season.

That was despite an extraordinary sledge by Channel 7 ridiculing Tasmania’s two premier sporting venues. The network described Blundstone Arena and UTAS Stadium as “relatively small and unheralded” stadiums and claimed it would be “commercially irrational” to broadcast games from either ground.

And in recent weeks, after years of campaigning, the call for Tasmania to have its own AFL club has hit fever pitch with Premier Peter Gutwein lashing the AFL as “disrespectful” and vowing not to finalise new contracts with Hawthorn or North Melbourne until there is a pathway for a Tasmanian team.

If the AFL does not play ball, the footy funds could be redirected into the National Basketball League, which has invested in the island state by launching the JackJumpers, giving Tasmania a national basketball outfit for the first time in 25 years.

The success of that franchise and any increase in basketball’s popularity in the state will be closely monitored.

So, how we play, perform and support sport in this state is important. It is disappointing to note, therefore, that our reputation in racing has taken a serious hit.

First, Tasmania was the only state in Australia to cancel racing during the pandemic leaving the industry – which delivers $ 100m to the economy annually – reeling. Trainers were forced to send their horses interstate as key racing personnel slammed the government’s heavy handedness.

A few months after racing started back up, a Wednesday night thoroughbred meeting in Launceston was cancelled due to holes in the track.

Adding to the embarrassment was the Elwick saga of recent days after an inspection found loose plugs had rendered the track unsafe for last week’s $ 100,000 Tasmanian Guineas meeting.

Two Victorian experts are to fly to Tasmania to help fix the track, where the most recent upgrade was worth $ 12 million ahead of the Summer Carnival.

Yesterday, Racing Minister Jane Howlett released details of an independent inquiry, but the industry here and on the mainland needs outcomes that demonstrate this government takes the sport seriously.