ENSURING THE FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR RACING INDUSTRY

Madeleine Ogilvie MP, Minister for Racing

The 2022-23 Tasmanian Budget will invest $964,000 in additional funding to ensure that three cadet steward positions can continue.

Tasmania’s racing industry is a vital part of Tasmania’s social and economic vibrance, and it is important to provide career pathways for young people wanting to work in the industry.

The Cadet Stipendiary Steward program will see three cadets learn the trade under the direction of highly qualified and experienced stewards, and the Director of Racing to set them up for a fulfilling career.

The program will be structured into two-year contract cadetships for three cadets, in two separate programs running in 2022-23 to 2023-24 and 2024-25 to 2025-26.

Providing clear future pathways and encouraging the stewards to consider the racing industry as a long-term career option will be the focus of the contracts.

The Program has been well received since its inception in 2018 and two cadet stewards have recently been appointed to full-time roles within ORI.

This is an excellent outcome, which demonstrates the program is having the desired effect and I look forward to hearing the successes of the three additional stewards in years to come.

Stewards are responsible for the conduct of race meetings throughout the State across all three codes of racing and are entrusted with wide-ranging powers to control and regulate the respective racing codes.

They ensure the Rules of Racing are adhered to and investigate, determine and, where necessary, penalise any breaches of the Rules.