ROB'S SHOUT - INDUSTRY WORK COVER PREMIUM DEBATE NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, June 20, 2013
Robert Heathcote is the leading racehorse trainer in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout' - the personal blog of the multi-premiership and Group 1 winning trainer will appear every Thursday on HRO, workload permitting.
We recently had an ATA trainers meeting at Eagle Farm which was well attended by both trainers and guest speakers from RISA, which is the national racing administrative service based out of Melbourne, Work Cover representatives, the CEO of the BRC, the acting CEO of RQ, the stewards panel and the very well-spoken Michael Kelly who is the recently appointed Deputy Chairman of the Racing Queensland Board.
The most interesting discussion was the ongoing situation with the Industry Work Cover premium, how it is calculated and, more importantly, how it is paid.
It is very frustrating topic as it has been an ongoing situation for several years now but it needs an urgent resolution to fix the anomalies which I believe currently exist.
At present the industry premium is about $1.2 million per year and this is paid by each trainer as a percentage of their staff wages.
Put simply, the higher a trainer’s wage bill, the higher the premium will be.
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This would work fine if every trainer in the state correctly and honestly declared the wages paid 100% of the time.
If they do not, which many rightly or wrongly believe to be the case, it creates an imbalance in the system meaning some trainers are paying much more than they should and many are paying unders for their share of the injury risk and medical bills.
The risk of injury has to be shared right around the state for EVERY WORKER as a track rider or strapper in Mt Isa can get injured as easily as one Eagle Farm.
I have no problem about paying the premium. I just want it to be a fair system and every trainer to pay their share of the risk.
Last year I personally paid 5% of the whole states premium and I can assure you my stable did not produce anywhere near the 5% of the state’s runners.
My case is not unique.
There are many trainers paying huge premiums with excellent safety records so the question is, is the current system fair?
In my opinion, of course it is not!
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Perhaps the fairest system is the system used in NSW.
The premium is calculated per runner throughout the entire state with a tiered structure for the Metro, provincial and country runners.
If the premium is calculated at $18 per city runner and I have 600 runners for the year, my premium will be $10,800.
If a country trainer has 25 runners for the year and the premium is $12 per runner, his premium will be $300.
Structured into the premium calculation can be an incentive scheme to reward the trainers with a good safety history.
Many in the provincial and country areas will complain because they may have to pay more than they currently do but it simply comes down to making it fair right across the state with everyone paying their share for being involved in the industry and that is indeed what it is … an industry and all trainers are to be seen as professionals and treated equally.
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All the workers in this state deserve to be protected with injury insurance.
Just because a trainer runs a bigger operation with plenty of staff, that does not necessarily mean they have to pay a penalty for that with an unjust premium system.
It’s ludicrous if I want to pay my staff a bonus and have to then pay a percentage of that to work cover as it forms part of their wages!
Just the same as I have to pay a percentage of my office assistant’s wages the same as a track rider and she may never goes near a racehorse!
No, the wages based system to calculate the states premium seems to me and many others to be just plain wrong and unfair.
The fairest way is to make it per runner right across the state as that system makes everyone pay for the need to protect all the workers in the state!
There is currently a process in place called ‘data collection’ which will give the new Racing Board all of the necessary information to make the right decision.
It’s essential this matter be resolved as soon as possible, even if it will mean there are some unhappy with the outcome, irrespective of which system is adopted!
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One of the real positives I took out of the meeting was the comment from the Chief Steward that they are willing to take a much more common-sense approach to ‘substance abuse’ after the recent situation where work-riders were stood down from taking over the counter cold medication.
The current rule is to be reviewed which is great news.
Wade Birch highlighted the fact that his panel, while they do have a disciplinary arm, really now want to work with participants to find better solutions to their needs.
That sentiment might always have been there, but it has now been stated almost as a priority policy and that can surely that can only bode well for harmony within in the industry!
Good stuff.
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This Saturday officially sees the conclusion of the Queensland Winter Racing carnival for another year.
Congratulations to the BRC for their efforts and whilst the weather was not perfect and did make things tough, especially on the BTC Cup day, overall they get a big thumbs up from me!
The final Group 1 for the season and it looks like being a cracker.
I loved Streama’s run in the Straddie. I am tipping her for the Tatts Tiara but for certain the Waller mare will be thereabouts!
Cheers and good health.
Robert
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