Ongoing professional development for our racing stewards

Workforce training and renewal for our racing stewards and integrity staff is included in the 2024-25 Tasmanian Budget, with funding for important professional development and cadet steward programs.

Minister for Racing, Jane Howlett, said that it was vital that our stewards continue to have the skills and knowledge required to maintain the rules and integrity of racing.

“We will continue to invest in workforce renewal, including the successful Cadet Stewards program with funding of $250,000 per year,” Minister Howlett said.

“The 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future and the 2024-25 Budget is also supporting our Tasmanian stewards with $100,000 over two years to ensure they have access to professional development and training.

“The Cadet Stewards program is an essential strategy for ensuring we have skilled and capable stewards to support the racing industry in Tasmania into the future.

“Given the national shortage of stewards, our policy is to ‘home grow’ them with support from national colleagues who provide development opportunities such as attendance at interstate race meeting and mentoring.”

Minister Howlett said the independent Murrihy Report had recommended more opportunities to enhance training for stewards such as utilising online delivery of established steward training courses or short-term personnel exchanges.

“Importantly this investment supports the recommendation by Mr Murrihy that an adequately resourced and well-trained stewards’ panel is fundamental to the effective performance of the racing integrity framework in Tasmania,” she said.

“As Racing Minister, I want to rebuild trust and restore faith in racing across all three codes, to see them thrive, and ensuring we have skilled and capable stewards to support the industry into the future is an important part of that.”