THE SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN: THE POINT OF CONSUMPTION TAX - A CRITICAL CALL FOR RACING

By Graham Potter | Saturday, September 22, 2018

Graham Potter writes a weekly column for the Sunshine Coast daily. Due to demand from those having trouble accessing the paper these columns are now also published on HRO courtesy of the Sunshine Coast daily.

The silence, as they say, is deafening.

The Queensland Government loves to come out and do a merry dance on the back of any announcement they believe trumpets the positive side of the local racing industry. It’s often all back-slapping and handshakes and media releases that arguably sometimes have a dubious relationship with the truth … but they do have moments of putting their view out there.

But when they are in control of distribution of money from the pending Point Of Consumption Tax, which is a fifteen percent levy on racing bets laid in Queensland to be introduced on October 1, they remain huddled in a tight circle, with their backs to racing, saying nothing to an industry who eagerly awaits a decision that will have a major impact on its future.

Some, in fact, will tell you that a fair, specified return of funds to the racing industry from its own generated POC tax is, in fact, a critical call and that notice of the government’s intention in this regard is long overdue.

Never mind that there are drawn out governmental procedures that need to be followed … discussions at different levels, recommendations, runner stamping of final decisions … racing is not a small player in the government’s revenue stream folder and it needs to be shown more respect than this.

Sadly, even with October 1 now approaching at a rate of knots, that kick-off date won’t necessarily bring full clarity to the situation.

An option has been mooted that the government might delay giving notice of where all of the POC related revenue will go until some of the tax has been collected so they will know more precisely the amount of money they are dealing with … but that really would be a cop out and it is an option for the government that racing does not need.

In essence racing needs a Racing Minister who will represent the industry with vigour, determination and, most importantly, an understanding of what racing needs to function as a vibrant industry which, in turn, can only be to the benefit of government coffers.

Racing hasn’t seen one of those for a while.

You wouldn’t bet that racing has one now … or does it?

The level of POC tax distribution to racing and how soon it is delivered will answer that question!