MY CALL: THE START OF A PIVOTAL YEAR FOR THE QUEENSLAND RACING INDUSTRY
By David Fowler | Tuesday, January 1, 2019
David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.
Today is the first day of a potentially pivotal year for the Queensland racing industry.
The way the very business is structured as a tri-code model is clearly under the microscope.
The present State Labor Government may deem it unfair that it's their creation but they certainly gave it a ringing endorsement when they abandoned the individual code Boards a nanosecond after occupying office in 2015.
A swift slap in the face to the defeated Coalition disguised as a remedy to the greyhound live-baiting scandal.
For background, it WAS a Labor creation aided and abetted by the now long-gone Bob Bentley in 2010 and, in my opinion, it has been a failure significantly prejudicing the harness and greyhound codes.
Some are starting to finally wake up to this sad fact in George Street.
The tri-code egg may be too difficult to unscramble but it's far from a dead and buried issue.
**************************************************************************************************
The Point Of Consumption tax's effect on Racing Queensland's coffers will be known later in the year.
The only body who thought levying the tax at 15% was a sound idea was the State Government. There will be some nervous nellies at RQ watching the results unfold.
They can't say they weren't warned but, in fairness, didn't have the final say on the matter.
This column predicted in October last year that the current Board will not be the same one when the appointment process is undertaken in March.
Yes, appointment not re-appointment was deliberate in the delivery.
Putting the harness hat on again, while the minor codes continue to have one representative each on the current Board, they haven't got a snowflakes chance in hell of moving forward.
Racing Queensland's dithering approach to infrastructure for all codes can only improve this year.
A snail's pace attitude on thoroughbred projects combined with an unacceptable silence on new tracks for the trots and dogs which was the norm in 2018 will not be tolerated by the industry this year.
Nor those occupying the government's front and back benches,
Indications are there is light at the end of the tunnel for the trots and dogs but they've heard this so many times before so forgive their cynicism on even hearing the brightest news.
This time around might be different. Just sayin!
**************************************************************************************************
The State Government is expected to slingshot another $8 million out Deagon way mid-year as the second installment of the agreed windfall.
It doesn't come without concessions the industry has to accede to and RQ are delegated with the responsibility of executing the dirty deeds.
And, to conclude, here's a free tip for those at Racing Queensland who aren't already aware of it.
The continued push to foster twilight and night racing is playing havoc with stakeholders' lives for any number of reasons.
They can only be pushed so far.
Happy New Year!
More articles
|