❓ Mr Catania questions the Minister about the mass resignation from the Thoroughbred Racing Committee (TRC). The Minister explains the TRC's role, its duplication of existing consultation mechanisms, and speculates on the reasons for the resignations, linking it to Perth Racing's actions.
AnsweredQoN 249Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
THOROUGHBRED RACING
COMMITTEE — RESIGNATIONS
249. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Racing and Gaming:
I refer to the resignation of five
members of the Thoroughbred Racing Committee.
(1) What reasons were given for the
sudden mass resignation?
(2) What action is the minister
taking to address this concerning development?
COMMITTEE — RESIGNATIONS
249. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Racing and Gaming:
I refer to the resignation of five
members of the Thoroughbred Racing Committee.
(1) What reasons were given for the
sudden mass resignation?
(2) What action is the minister
taking to address this concerning development?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice
of the question.
(1)–(2) I
met with the TRC yesterday—the people to whom the member refers—to
seek their advice about any concerns they had at that meeting. They indicated
that some of them were contemplating resigning. As the member is aware, this is
not a body that reports to me. It is involved with operational matters of
Racing and Wagering Western Australia and is a consultative body for the
thoroughbred code that reports to RWWA. It replicates the role of the eligible
bodies in many respects. It was created by RWWA recently as a means of
garnering views from the industry, particularly the thoroughbred industry in
this case, with a view to determine whether it wanted to sell the TAB and then
to consult during that process. That is why the TRC was convened. However,
there are eligible bodies such as the Country Racing Association of Western Australia,
provincial racing clubs, Perth Racing, and owners, breeders, trainers, bookies
and jockey associations that can be consulted by RWWA to seek the views of the
industry. The TRC is duplicating that role.
As
to why the members are going, I cannot tell the member. It is probably related
to the action by Perth Racing only yesterday in withdrawing its vote of
confidence in one of the members of the Thoroughbred Racing Committee and then
deciding that rather than be a part of that committee, it would prefer to not
replace that person and just use its status as an eligible body for consulting
with RWWA. But I cannot tell the member the exact reasons. I am confident that
it does not mean there is any breakdown in the ability for RWWA to consult with
the thoroughbred industry. It still has all the eligible bodies. In the event
that other eligible bodies choose not to replace their members that have
resigned, there is still the ability for RWWA to consult.
of the question.
(1)–(2) I
met with the TRC yesterday—the people to whom the member refers—to
seek their advice about any concerns they had at that meeting. They indicated
that some of them were contemplating resigning. As the member is aware, this is
not a body that reports to me. It is involved with operational matters of
Racing and Wagering Western Australia and is a consultative body for the
thoroughbred code that reports to RWWA. It replicates the role of the eligible
bodies in many respects. It was created by RWWA recently as a means of
garnering views from the industry, particularly the thoroughbred industry in
this case, with a view to determine whether it wanted to sell the TAB and then
to consult during that process. That is why the TRC was convened. However,
there are eligible bodies such as the Country Racing Association of Western Australia,
provincial racing clubs, Perth Racing, and owners, breeders, trainers, bookies
and jockey associations that can be consulted by RWWA to seek the views of the
industry. The TRC is duplicating that role.
As
to why the members are going, I cannot tell the member. It is probably related
to the action by Perth Racing only yesterday in withdrawing its vote of
confidence in one of the members of the Thoroughbred Racing Committee and then
deciding that rather than be a part of that committee, it would prefer to not
replace that person and just use its status as an eligible body for consulting
with RWWA. But I cannot tell the member the exact reasons. I am confident that
it does not mean there is any breakdown in the ability for RWWA to consult with
the thoroughbred industry. It still has all the eligible bodies. In the event
that other eligible bodies choose not to replace their members that have
resigned, there is still the ability for RWWA to consult.
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