On behalf of the steering committee of the Racing Reform Group NSW, I want to provide you with a brief update on our activities and comment on some recent developments.
As you might have read or heard in the media, it was recently announced that Racing NSW chief executive, Peter V’landys, would be taking four months long service leave to become interim CEO at the National Rugby League.
You can read our full statement below, but we note it is highly unusual for a CEO to be given time off to lead another organisation, let alone one that competes for the leisure and wagering dollar.
Peter V’landys | Image courtesy of Racing NSW
The decision of the Racing NSW board to allow this to happen is even more perplexing when one considers the many challenges the racing industry faces in NSW over the coming months.
Among the issues to be addressed are: the ongoing litigation between Racing NSW and the ATC; the completion of a report into the fitness of the Thoroughbred Racing Act, the legislation which establishes Racing NSW; the ongoing issues of the projects funded through the Racing for the Regions program – a program controlled by Racing NSW – which was the subject of a damning report by the state’s Auditor General last month; the development of a national Tote; and the serious financial trouble facing many country race clubs.
It is the view of the RRG that it is an extraordinary decision by the board to allow the CEO to put another organisation ahead of thoroughbred racing.
To those of you who signed our petition to extend the terms of reference for review of the Thoroughbred Racing Act, being conducted by Brad Hazzard, the RRG would like to say a big thank you.
David Harris | Image courtesy of NSW Parliament
The racing minister, David Harris, this week provided his formal response to the petition, which was to say that, if the inquiry was broadened to include racing’s funding model and the relationship between Racing NSW and the government, the “reviews would be fundamentally different in nature.” He has therefore not expanded the terms of reference.
While we are disappointed by the minister’s decision- after all, if the government is commissioning somebody as experienced as Brad Hazzard to conduct a review, why not let him consider all the important issues that are impacting the performance of Racing NSW – we are not surprised. Even though it was unsuccessful, the petition was important in raising the review’s limitations and explaining the need for further reform to tackle the funding challenges within NSW and the importance of making the regulator accountable.
The RRG has been in contact with Mr Hazzard and his team and we are hopeful that he will still be able to deliver a report that recommends significant changes to Racing NSW and how it regulates and interacts with the industry. He is also free to note industry calls for his terms of reference to be extended and, if he feels unduly hampered by their absence, recommend another review specifically to address them.
Brad Hazzard | Image courtesy of Sydney Criminal Lawyers
In essence we have called for Racing NSW to become more accountable to participants and stakeholders and for the Act to set out clear expectations and standards as to how the regulator behaves in its interaction with industry. We also believe that the integrity and commercial functions of Racing NSW need to be separated.
We understand that Mr Hazzard’s review will be handed to the government in the coming weeks and we urge Minister Harris to release the report immediately.
The RRG has met and continues to meet with NSW politicians from all sides of Parliament. This is an important process, both in explaining the concerns that are widely held across the industry, ensuring that the Government responds to the Review and moves quickly to enact recommendations, while also establishing broad support for any legislative changes.
Finally, as mentioned above, the NSW Auditor General last month published a report into the Racing for the Regions program. This scheme, announced in 2020, saw Racing NSW receive $57 million to deliver 14 projects across the state. Currently, only six of those infrastructure projects have been finished, with four yet to begin construction.
We look forward to keeping you informed on our activities as we approach a critical period of the future of the industry.
Kind regards,
Brian Nutt
RRG Secretary
