THE SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN: WHERE THE RACING APPEALS SYSTEM IS THE BUTT OF ALL JOKES!

By Graham Potter | Friday, June 19, 2020

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.

When Luke Tarrant pleaded guilty to a charge of head-butting fellow jockey Larry Cassidy during an altercation at Doomben in April, he had to know he would receive a hefty penalty … which ultimately turned out to be a six-month ban.

What Tarrant also knew though was that he would appeal the penalty … as they do … and that he would, if necessary, take that appeal all the way to QCAT (Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal), where appeal applicants have a great strike rate against stewards from the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC).

Now, a little less than two months following the Tarrant/Cassidy incident, Tarrant has been granted a stay of proceedings by QCAT pending the final resolution of his appeal, meaning he is free to return to race riding at this time … which thereby adds the latest episode to the series of events which shows that QCAT and QRIC, never mind not being on the same page, are seemingly not even reading from the same book.

It can be argued that this, in its own way, provides a travesty of justice which has a significant, negative impact on the overall profile of the racing industry and takes a serious toll on the integrity value of the sport.

If a chain of much needed change is to be executed to improve this unacceptable situation, it has to be motivated and supported on four different levels and pushed forward from one level to the next with meaning until the acceptance and implementation of a new improved system becomes inevitable.

Step 1: The stakeholders / participants have to be loud and clear in their call for a better appeals system option. That box has been ticked.

Step 2: The hierarchy at Racing Queensland have to back their stakeholders to the maximum degree by firstly having serious talks with QRIC on the subject and seeking their support. Then Racing Queensland has to be relentless and persistent in their pursuit of getting the Racing Minister’s attention on this issue … and they simply cannot take, ‘I’ll get back to you’ as an answer.

Step 3: QRIC hierarchy must go into bat for the industry from which they make their living. While they are directly linked to the government and strictly bound to work within the laws as they currently stand, it would be hard to believe that they are not similarly frustrated at the way the system works both in terms of some of the decisions that are made (QRIC opposed the Tarrant stay of proceedings) and the inordinate timeframe in which many cases take to reach a resolution. QRIC are thus arguably the best placed to put this case to the Racing Minister.

Step 4: The Racing Minister must then do his job and sanction the appropriate, much needed and called for changes to the Racing Integrity Act. It’s not that difficult really!

Yes, the current appeals system is entrenched in legislation but new, better legislation can be brought in and, yes, making changes to the Racing Integrity Act will take time … but it will be time well spent!

There simply is no excuse for racing to continue to suffer through this indignity.

Where is a leader and a decision maker when you need one?

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