Page 3101 - Week 09 - Thursday, 13 October 2022
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Indexation is set at CPI minus 0.5 per cent, in accordance with the government’s response to the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission.
The percentage breakup of the funding appropriation was agreed between the racing clubs. It is 85.72 per cent for the Canberra Racing Club and 14.28 per cent for the Canberra Harness Racing Club. As I indicated earlier, this investment ensures that the clubs agree to meet a range of expectations under a performance framework regarding industry management. This includes animal welfare obligations, integrity, ongoing viability, governance, accountability and efficiency of the industry.
Under the MOU the clubs are required to inform the ACT government of an integrity-related complaint being made or a breach occurring within 30 days, once the club is made aware of the complaint or breach. A breach includes any incident that occurs at a racing meeting or event held by the club, or an activity undertaken by the board or an employee of the club at any time where community standards were called into question regarding the integrity of the racing industry. These provisions include corruption, consorting, cheating, horse doping, race fixing and extortion, as well as the use and abuse of drugs and banned substances.
The initial report is also required to be followed by a final report after 90 days, outlining the policies and procedures implemented by the clubs to ensure that a similar integrity-related breach does not occur again. Under the MOU the clubs are also required to provide information to the government on efforts undertaken to increase revenue through existing income streams. They have to disclose if efforts to increase revenue are not apparent, and the clubs must provide a reason, and the actions they will take to advance diversification of their current income pool.
Another important aspect of the agreement is that the clubs are required to develop new external income streams to support sustainability and their longevity. The clubs are also required to participate in the new Joint Racing Industry and Government Committee, the JRIGC. This is not an opportunity for additional funding; it is a mechanism for the clubs and government to achieve a range of different discussions, including those around animal welfare, and consulting key racing industry groups on their issues and issues raised by the government.
To further strengthen the industry locally, the clubs have agreed to participate in the development of an ACT racehorse traceability framework, in consultation with the ACT government, through the JRIGC, by the end of the MOU term. The racing clubs are each also required to fund an independent economic impact report in the first and fourth year of the MOU term to measure the economic impact that the industries have on the territory. These reports will inform whether the level of government funding is appropriate.
In addition to our framework, the racing clubs are required to adhere to the Australian rules of racing and the local rules of racing, which contain provisions about rehoming and retraining retired horses, aimed at ensuring their ongoing welfare. This strengthened framework and ongoing commitments under the MOU ensure that Canberra’s local racing industry is being well managed, is being well regulated and is sustainable.
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