Tasmania Opposition Leader Will Hodgman

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Racing Jeremy Rockliff

REINVIGORATING TASMANIAN RACING AND SUPPORTING REGIONAL JOBS

Victor P Taffa

The Tasmanian Liberals have today announced a comprehensive policy to reinvigorate Tasmania’s racing industry, which is in crisis after years of Labor mismanagement, neglect and betrayal.

“The Liberals regard racing as a key employer and economic contributor, particularly in rural and regional areas, and believe it has strong potential for future growth.” Mr. Hodgman said.

But the heart and soul of this proud industry – its grassroots level participants – are currently experiencing enormous stress and the Labor Government has turned its back.

At the centre of the Liberals’ policy to reinvigorate racing is a commitment to return the industry to the successful self-funded sector that it was through TOTE Tasmania.

Under a Hodgman Liberal Government, TOTE will not be sold and it will fund the racing industry to a minimum $27 Million a year, indexed and in addition the $5 Million Dollar product fee will be guaranteed.

We will not require a dividend from TOTE over the next three years and following the three years under our plan two thirds of TOTE profits over the minimum funding amount will be retained by the racing industry with one third to be paid as a community dividend to the consolidated fund. As TOTE grows, the racing industry and the community will benefit from extra funding.

Under Labor, racing will compete against health and education for funding from the consolidated fund that also provides it with no incentive to grow. Other key elements of the Liberals plan include:

 

• Develop much needed racing infrastructure, for example at Spreyton Park, the Brighton Training Centre, the greyhound distance start at Tattersall’s Park and to pursue the development of a harness training facility at Carrick.

 

• Cover the debt servicing costs associated with a $40 Million loan to Tasracing from Tabcorp for infrastructure – and unlike Labor we will give the industry the capacity to pay it back.

 

• Seeking a reduction in stakes for the Hobart and Launceston Cups to a more realistic level and redistributing money saved to the benefit of the local racing industry.

 

• Address the huge shortage of appropriately skilled workers in the industry, and the dearth of young workers and apprentices who are the future of the industry, through the introduction of new training opportunities.

 

• A commitment to greater consultation with the racing industry and an independent review of the 2008 racing reforms.

 

Leading a high level delegation to Sky Channel executives to lobby for continued coverage of Sunday meetings and a better deal for the Tasmanian racing industry. The Tasmanian racing industry cannot trust Labor.

The botched TOTE sale particularly destabilized the industry and Labor’s funding arrangements for the industry provide it with no incentive to grow, and also have it now competing against health and education for funding from the consolidated fund.

Racing infrastructure is a mess. While Mowbray has been fixed, the Elwick and Spreyton courses are in a parlous state thanks to years of Labor neglect and mismanagement. Under Labor, more than $27 Million was spent redeveloping Elwick, and most of it went on the grandstand, not the track.

“The Liberals believe the most important racing infrastructure is the tracks, the training and the allied facilities. The distribution of stakes is another area of concern and another example of Labor being out of touch with the grassroots industry players.” Mr. Hodgman said.

We believe that redistributing some of the stakes for the Hobart and Launceston Cups to the benefit of the industry will deliver long term benefits for the community.

Racing also needs a government that will stand up and fight for the racing industry’s needs when it comes to threats such as Sky Channel coverage.

But under Labor, the industry has had a government that, far from standing up and fighting for it, has stabbed it in the back. The Tasmanian Liberals’ racing policy offers real change that will reinvigorate this proud industry and drive our economy forward.

Under the provisions of the relevant Electoral Act responsibility for all election comment is assumed by Editor Victor P Taffa. The Registered office of The Southern Thunderer is at 4/69a Darvall Road, West Ryde NSW 2114.