Tasracing boss quits $300,000 a year job

TASRACING CEO Paul Eriksson has announced he will walk away from the organisation after more than three years at the helm.

Citing the stresses of the past two Covid-affected years, Mr Eriksson said he would be returning to Sydney to spend time with his family before looking for a new role.

A Tasracing spokesman said the board had deemed the time was right for Mr Eriksson’s resignation ahead of the “implementation of the outcomes” from the review of the 2004 Racing Regulation Act.

Appointed in March 2019, Mr Eriksson was only four months into his second term after being reappointed for another three years this March.

Mr Eriksson will conclude his duties on Friday, with Tasracing chief operating officer Andrew Jenkins appointed interim CEO.

Tasracing chair Gene Phair said Mr Eriksson had performed well in the position.

“Paul made a significant contribution to the development of the broader Tasmanian racing industry during his tenure in a number of areas,” Mr Phair said.

Mr Phair listed a number of the outgoing CEO’s achievements, including introducing significantly improved transparency around the reporting of welfare and injury statistics for horses and greyhounds, code funding growth of nearly 40 per cent and a strengthened financial position allowing Tasracing to deliver a fiveyear, $55m infrastructure plan.

Labor’s Racing spokesman Dean Winter said the announcement was “very odd”.

“Mr Eriksson’s reappointment was never publicly announced, but four months later he’s leaving almost immediately,” Mr Winter said.

Mr Winter said racing had been “continually let down by the government” during Mr Eriksson’s time in charge.

The search for a replacement in the $300,000 per year role will begin immediately.