Page 2312 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 August 2022
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It already puts a lot of information in the public domain that is currently not clear, and it will release more, including the economic impact of the ACT horseracing industry. It has clear and enforceable standards about animal welfare. It goes nowhere near as far as the Greens would like, but it is a massive improvement, and it will make a material difference to the lives of those animals.
Before the last election, all three parties publicly stated their position on public funding for the horseracing industry. ACT Labor said they would maintain MOU funding and consider extending it for up to 10 years. That would mean the industry got fixed funding for 20 years—more than any other sports group, outside any ordinary procurement and grant process, without consideration of other pressures on our public purse.
The Canberra Liberals went further. They said they would renew and extend the MOU and increase public funding. That is what we are seeing today. We are seeing a call for even more money than the $41 million that has already been committed. Yesterday the Canberra Liberals were worried about debt for their children. Yesterday they wanted an audit into spending. Today they want to give more money to one industry, outside any procurement, for no public interest reason that I have heard today. I am really confused about their position on fiscal management, and I would like to know how they think money should be spent for the people of Canberra.
The ACT Greens have been clear and consistent throughout all of this. Ahead of the last election, we said we would consult with stakeholders and consider public funding in the context of the public health emergency and other budget impacts and pressures, and that is exactly what we are doing and what we have done. We have been out to Thoroughbred Park and the Canberra Harness Club. We have spoken to the industry several times. We see that Canberra has multiple crises to deal with, and we see that Canberra needs this money to spend on health, education, housing and the climate. In 2020 it looked absurd to us to give this much money to one sports industry; it still looks absurd to us and we continue to oppose it.
I understand that the ACT horseracing industry is in distress. That is clear. There are headlines this week about trainers and liability insurance, and I have spoken to the industry. I hear the trouble they have in attracting new people to their industry, both as workers and as audiences, particularly young people. They are competing with Groovin the Moo and an increasingly vibrant arts and entertainment scene. They are competing with many other sports, like skateboarding and roller derby. They are competing with online sports betting. I have run businesses before and this looks a lot to me like a transition period.
The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission considered the end of the ACT horseracing industry when they investigated this 10 years ago. They contemplated what would happen if the ACT horseracing industry collapsed. They said:
If the ACT racing industry were to cease operations there would not be a noticeable diminution in the viability of ACT wagering providers as only around 2% of wagering in the ACT is on races held within the ACT.
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