1 April 2023

Madeleine Ogilvie, Minister for Racing

Racing review Terms of Reference released

The Rockliff Liberal Government is getting things done to ensure Tasmania is leading the nation when it to comes to racing integrity, probity and animal welfare.

Minister for Racing, Madeleine Ogilvie, today released the Terms of Reference for the independent racing review which will be led by national integrity expert Ray Murrihy.

The review will probe allegations of team driving, race fixing and animal welfare concerns in the Tasmanian harness racing industry and the management of those issues by the Office of Racing Integrity.

The review will include:

• An investigation of all circumstances surrounding the races referred to in the ABC media report of 26 March 2023 to determine compliance with the Australian Harness Racing Rules;
• An investigation into any other harness races from the past three years that may demonstrate team driving and/or race fixing;
• An investigation into animal welfare conditions at the Yole Sidmouth racing stables to determine compliance with the Australian Harness Racing Rules;
• Review the adequacy of complaints management by the Office of Racing Integrity relating to allegations of team driving and/or race fixing in the harness racing industry in the past three years and make any relevant recommendations; and
• Advise on any other matter relating to animal welfare, team driving and/or race fixing in the Tasmanian harness racing industry that the independent reviewer determines relevant.

“We are doing all this to ensure Tasmanians can have faith that the welfare of animals is never compromised, and the integrity of the industry is above reproach,” Minister Ogilvie said.

“We instigated the Monteith Review and are fully implementing its recommendations, which includes creating a new Racing Integrity Commissioner with the powers to set integrity and animal welfare standards.

“This work will now be complemented by the Murrihy review, with a report to be provided by 30 June 2023.”

The full Terms of Reference can be found at http://nre.tas.gov.au/racing-investigation

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