❓ Mr. Murray questions the Minister for Racing and Gaming about the investigation into the deaths of two racehorses and the public release of autopsy results. The Minister assures that all allegations are taken seriously and RWWA is responsible for the investigation, but deflects on specifics.
AnsweredQoN 96Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RACING
INDUSTRY — HORSE DEATHS
96. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the Minister for Racing and Gaming:
I refer to the death of thoroughbred
horse Texan at Ascot Racecourse on 1 January 2013 and the death of thoroughbred
horse Ms Funovits at Ascot Racecourse on 20 April 2013.
(1) How are
these incidents being investigated, especially given the claims by the trainers
of Ms Funovits that Racing and Wagering WA and Perth Racing were ignoring them
following the death of the horse?
(2) Will the
full results of the deceased horses' autopsies be made publicly
available?
INDUSTRY — HORSE DEATHS
96. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the Minister for Racing and Gaming:
I refer to the death of thoroughbred
horse Texan at Ascot Racecourse on 1 January 2013 and the death of thoroughbred
horse Ms Funovits at Ascot Racecourse on 20 April 2013.
(1) How are
these incidents being investigated, especially given the claims by the trainers
of Ms Funovits that Racing and Wagering WA and Perth Racing were ignoring them
following the death of the horse?
(2) Will the
full results of the deceased horses' autopsies be made publicly
available?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for the question. As a minister in this government and on
behalf of Racing and Wagering WA, I can say that all allegations are taken
extremely seriously. Maintaining integrity is of the utmost importance to the
racing industry generally and, of course, to the hundreds and thousands of
people who are employed in the industry and to the people who go to the races,
and I want to make sure that continues. Racing and Wagering WA is the industry body
that is responsible for ensuring the integrity of racing in Western Australia.
It invests considerable resources on the investigative units of the stewards.
RWWA spent more than $6.4 million on stewards and their investigative functions
and has recently added another investigative position at a cost of $200 000.
RWWA takes it very, very seriously.
The member for Collie–Preston
would have seen the allegations made today—I will comment on that
before answering the member's other question—in an unsigned and
unidentified letter. We are taking that extremely seriously. The stewards have
done extra investigations on those races but at this stage have found —
Point of Order
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : I distinctly
heard that the member for Collie–Preston's question was about
the death of two individual horses. He did not ask about the letter that is the
subject of the front-page news story today. It appears to me that the minister
is reading a prepared answer to the front-page story rather than answering the
questions put to him by the member for Collie–Preston, and I suggest
that he actually deal with the questions he was asked.
The SPEAKER : Can the minister
come back to the point please—succinctly.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : As I thought I said at the start, all allegations regarding
the integrity of racing, which the member for Collie–Preston asked
about concerning the death of these horses, are looked into and investigated by
RWWA.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : Do you know anything about these two horses and what is
happening?
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : I do. That is what has taken place in this case. I have not
seen the full results. It will be up to RWWA to decide what it does or does not
make public. RWWA is the body within the racing industry that has the
expertise. As the member knows, it is independent. I meet regularly with RWWA
and it updates me on these issues. I insist that it follow all those measures
very closely because the confidence of the industry relies on that, as the
member understands. I will find out what RWWA will disclose on that matter. I
understand there are issues that it might not want to disclose.
thank the member for the question. As a minister in this government and on
behalf of Racing and Wagering WA, I can say that all allegations are taken
extremely seriously. Maintaining integrity is of the utmost importance to the
racing industry generally and, of course, to the hundreds and thousands of
people who are employed in the industry and to the people who go to the races,
and I want to make sure that continues. Racing and Wagering WA is the industry body
that is responsible for ensuring the integrity of racing in Western Australia.
It invests considerable resources on the investigative units of the stewards.
RWWA spent more than $6.4 million on stewards and their investigative functions
and has recently added another investigative position at a cost of $200 000.
RWWA takes it very, very seriously.
The member for Collie–Preston
would have seen the allegations made today—I will comment on that
before answering the member's other question—in an unsigned and
unidentified letter. We are taking that extremely seriously. The stewards have
done extra investigations on those races but at this stage have found —
Point of Order
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : I distinctly
heard that the member for Collie–Preston's question was about
the death of two individual horses. He did not ask about the letter that is the
subject of the front-page news story today. It appears to me that the minister
is reading a prepared answer to the front-page story rather than answering the
questions put to him by the member for Collie–Preston, and I suggest
that he actually deal with the questions he was asked.
The SPEAKER : Can the minister
come back to the point please—succinctly.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : As I thought I said at the start, all allegations regarding
the integrity of racing, which the member for Collie–Preston asked
about concerning the death of these horses, are looked into and investigated by
RWWA.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : Do you know anything about these two horses and what is
happening?
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : I do. That is what has taken place in this case. I have not
seen the full results. It will be up to RWWA to decide what it does or does not
make public. RWWA is the body within the racing industry that has the
expertise. As the member knows, it is independent. I meet regularly with RWWA
and it updates me on these issues. I insist that it follow all those measures
very closely because the confidence of the industry relies on that, as the
member understands. I will find out what RWWA will disclose on that matter. I
understand there are issues that it might not want to disclose.
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