Owner rebuffs racing ban bid

PROMINENT horse racing personalities have slammed the Greens’ plan to ban horse racing, labelling the controversial move “ridiculous”.

The Greens last month announced a horse racing transition plan with the aim of shutting down the commercial racing industry.

The Greens anticipate a 1 per cent horse betting levy would raise $494m over the first two years, which would fund retraining programs for workers, rehoming schemes for animals and the redevelopment of racecourses.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi (inset) said commercial horse racing was “inhumane, deadly and incompatible with animal welfare”.

But Melbourne Cupwinning horse owner Nick Williams told

3AW Radio on Monday that the Greens’ plan was ill-informed and based on misinformation.

“Just for a start, they’re talking about funding it with a 1 per cent increase on gambling taxes. This is a federal policy and, of course, gambling is state-legislated,” he said. “I don’t know how they plan on forcing the states to implement that.

“(The horse racing) industry produces billions and billions of dollars for our national economy. That’s not to mention the hundreds of thousands of people employed in the industry.”

Senator Faruqi said the policy was in line with the growing number of Australians “switching off” from racing.

“A recent Lonergan poll found that a majority of people agree that racing animals like horses for gambling and entertainment is cruel,” she said.

“We have a huge opportunity here to shut down a cruel industry, deliver new jobs in regions and cities, and repurpose racetracks for community facilities and green spaces.

“A horse dies every three days at a racetrack in Australia. No horse is safe at the Melbourne Cup or at any other race. It’s time to shut this industry down.”