MACSPORRAN'S RECOMMENDATIONS RULE IN THE COURT OF THE RACING MINISTER AND THE GOVERNMENT

By Graham Potter | Friday, March 4, 2016

For all of her enthusiasm and willingness to meet with racing stakeholders, the form of Racing Minister Grace Grace remains a concern for many racing enthusiasts. Quizzed on Radio TAB’s Press Room programme by David Fowler on Monday, Grace provided the following responses, in an important exchange of views with Fowler, as she sought to clarify her own position while also giving the government’s overview on the state of the industry in Queensland. Here, for the record, is an edited version of some of Grace’s more pertinent comments during that interview (with a few HRO observations):

On the scope of her powers, or lack thereof:

Grace: “Under the current legislation there are two powers that I definitely don’t have. Interestingly, these are the two powers that, in a way, have caused most of the angst in the industry at the moment. I cannot direct prize-money and I cannot direct calendar of events. They appear to be two of the prime concerns that people have but they are the two things that, as a Minister, I cannot direct ... I believe, for all of the right reasons.”

Grace did not expand on what those ‘right reasons’ might be!

On her level of communication with the ruling body, Racing Queensland:

Grace: “I absolutely have good communication with Racing Queensland. I want to make sure that the controlling body is doing the job it needs to do. Any minister who doesn’t do that is clearly not undertaking their role."

Grace did not expand on either Racing Queensland job description in this time of transition or its performance. That was unfortunate because matching performance again job description would be the best indicator of whether the controlling body is ‘doing the job it needs to do,’ particular under an interim CEO. Accountability, or avoidance thereof, remains a thorn in racing’s side.

On the current financial landscape of Racing Queensland:

Grace: “The $28 million loss predicted for this year comes on off a nearly $13 million loss in the financial year previously. The Queensland Audit Office said that unless the government gave a letter of comfort to the racing industry, they would give a qualified report.

"The Queensland Government gave that letter of comfort up to the tune of $32 million. I’ve had a half-yearly report on how we are tracking. We are doing a little bit better than the $28 million. The bottom line though is racing is still definitely in the red with the government this year underwriting the industry to the tune of $32 million.”

On the Tracking to Sustainability Programme:

Grace: “The Tracking to Sustainability document is what I call a living document. We have obvious taken all of the country racing out of that because the government has given a commitment over four years of $21 million so there would be no negative impact on country racing.

"There have also been some changes to the Queensland Thoroughbred Inventive Scheme. In that regard, there were some excellent suggestions brought forward by the industry. They were accepted. That gives me confidence that a living document is the best option, in that details can be changed and cut according to the needs and that is what Racing Queensland is going to do.”

On why the government is not allowing any room for movement within the controversial MacSporran Commission Report recommendations in spite of the weight of negative feedback from within the industry?

Grace: “Mr MacSporran landed on two fundamental principles of which he was absolutely convinced ... and I am too. Those principles were that Racing Queensland needs to concentrate on the industry and the commercial and marketing arm of racing and that the integrity needs to be an entirely separate entity heading by a full time Commissioner with full powers. We have just employed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ross Barnett ... one of the most esteemed Police Officers this state has seen ... to head up Integrity."

On the need for a new integrity structure:

Grace: “We need to clean it up to bring back public confidence. They need to know it is a level playing field. With the new structure you will now have an Integrity Commissioner, when the bill becomes law, of the highest quality driving integrity in an industry which is currently facing very big integrity issues, not just in greyhounds but across the three codes.

"We want to send a very strong message that integrity is important to maintain and grow the public confidence to make sure that the wagering public continue to wager in support of this industry, to make sure that animal welfare is at the top of everybody’s minds so we can get this wonderful industry back to sustainability. That is the aim and that is what we must deliver.”

On the cost of setting up the new Integrity structure:

Grace: “There are costs involved in integrity. I’m not going to run away from that, but they will be manageable. They won’t be any more than Racing Queensland pays at the moment. That is what the Integrity Bill will produce."

On arguably the most important question of all ... the makeup of the Racing Board. Fowler put this direct two-part question to the Minister. ‘Most of the submissions from the racing industry don’t want the board model that MacSporran has recommended. Is everybody wrong and is MacSporran right in this regard? Secondly, and most importantly, would you give any consideration to amending this part of the bill?’

Grace : “I know the industry is saying we don’t like the All Codes industry model. However, that is currently what we have and it is what the legislation says. In my discussions with Mr MacSporran he clearly said he looked at the alternatives but he landed on the decision that it would be best to stay with the All Codes option, because it (the three codes) form the industry of racing.

“His recommendation was for a seven-man board containing three people, one representative from each code, and four independents. ‘Independents’ meaning that those persons can’t have been involved directly in certain parts of racing in the past two years.

“That is not to say that they won’t have a knowledge of racing. That is not to say they may not have been and owner or a trainer three years ago. When you do any kind of company director’s course that is the best practise model ... to have independents on the board who have not been involved directly in the industry for a period of two years. That is what we will be doing!”

Fowler asked two follow up questions. Firstly, ‘Whilst thoroughbred, harness and greyhound are all the racing industry, as codes they have different cultures, different rules and different identities. Can you appreciate that?’

Grace: “I can appreciate that but I know this, because I have read my history, we have gone from All Codes back to Separate Codes back to All Codes and it has been a kind of flip-flopping thing that has happened in relation to this.

“We are accepting MacSprran’s recommendations. The government has accepted that. The cabinet has accepted that and I believe it is the best way forward and that is what will go before the house."

... and the second follow-up question from Fowler to the minister, ‘So the pile of submissions put forward with ninety-nine per cent saying MacSporran’s model is flawed ... that doesn’t hold any sway with you?’

Grace: “All I can say is that MacSporran detailed the reasons why he recommended what he recommended. With all due respect to all of the many people that I have spoken to within the industry I am not landing on too many convincing arguments as to why one way is better than another. The bill is before the house. It was the government’s decision to accept it."

On the extension of the reporting to the Parliamentary Committee which will now take place on March 16, a fortnight after the original date:

Grace: “No, don’t read anything into that. We’ve got a few changes to the Parliamentary Committee system. We’ve got a new Chairman now, the Member for Gladstone Glen Butcher who, incidentally, is the Manager of a racehorse syndicate.

"He needs to get his head around things as Chair, as do some of the new appointees to that committee, and the fortnight extension is really to give them the opportunity to read all the submissions and consider all the issues and then come up with a recommendation that they believe will ensure we have the best racing industry in Queensland.”

On where Racing Queensland goes from here:

Grace: “What I intend to do in the interim is appoint the independent chair of the racing board and the three codes. They would then form the sub-committee so the industry has the numbers to look at appointing the CEO and then they will concentrate on the commercial, marketing and capacity building aspects of the industry and listening to the industry out there.

"I want them out there. I want the best consultative, listening board you could ever put together. I don’t want to do anything to hurt racing. I want it to get better and better.”


The bottom line to come out of the interview is that, from the government and the Racing Minister’s point of view, quite simply, MacSporran Rules.’

Grace has clearly spelt out the fact that all efforts to have the MacSporran recommendations revisited will flounder on the defensive wall that government has seemingly surrounded itself with in this regard. To repeat, they have accepted all of the MacSporran recommendations. It is a done deal, subject to the bill being passed in the House.

In the conversation Grace referred to MacSporran as ‘a very learned man and a man of great integrity’. Doubtless he is just that, but can a couple of months study, research and investigation really turn him into a complete, solo expert on which path the racing industry should follow into the future?

Looks like we are about to find out!

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