Australian Racing Ministers met in Hobart today to discuss issues affecting the industry across the country.

The Ministers received briefings from the three national controlling bodies, the Australian Racing Board, Harness Racing Australia and Greyhounds Australasia.

Among the issues discussed were wagering operators' advertising, skilled labour shortages in the racing industry and the recent High Court decision in relation to race fields.

The Ministers agreed to write to the Federal Government seeking urgent support for legislation to protect Australian racing from unauthorised offshore wagering operators. The Ministers will be recommending the following action:

- make it illegal for a telecommunication service provider to facilitate the transactions of a bet with a wagering service provider unless that wagering service provider is authorised by the relevant racing controlling body, and

- prevent financial institutions from processing betting transactions with a wagering service provider unless they are so authorised. 

The Ministers also agreed to establish a national racing integrity advisory group, comprising state and territory representatives as well as the chief executive officers of the three national controlling bodies.

The group will take a high level approach to racing integrity through the sharing of information and intelligence, reviewing key integrity issues and developing key relationships with racing and sporting bodies, as well as law enforcement agencies nationally and internationally.

It was agreed that the health and wellbeing of the racing industry across the three codes was largely dependent on its integrity.