21 April 2011

ICRC calls for racing industry consolidation

| johnboy
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The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission has announced the release of their Investigation into the ACT racing industry.

Somewhat curiously the ICRC has concluded that as the racing industry cannot be sustained by the market it should be sustained by the taxpayer. Every other business in town will be intrigued by this reasoning.

They do, however, suggest a radical restructuring of the ponies, harness racers, and dogs:

In response to industry changes across all jurisdictions, the Commission has proposed a process potentially leading to structural and governance changes for the ACT racing industry:

• The ACT Government, in conjunction with the three racing clubs in the ACT, should undertake a detailed investigation into the costs and benefits of replacing existing administrative structures and establishing a single independent administrative body to oversee the management of the three racing codes;

• Following an outcome from the proposed review of management and governance arrangements, the Government in conjunction with the ACT racing industry should undertake a detailed investigation into the feasibility of co-locating the three race codes at one ACT location.

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Jeez, it’d be a shame if the racing industry dies in the arse – where would all the criminals involved in the industry hide their money then?

One thing I’ve always wondered – why does “racing” only apply to horse racing?

breda said :

The whole regulatory and financial assistance structure of racing is an anachronism from the days (over half a century ago) when it was a mass sport. Thousands of people used to go the the horse races, the trots and the dogs, as a day or night out. Nowadays, three people and a dog go to the vast majority of race meetings – it is all sustained by offsite gambling.

Let’s not even get started on how fair it is to punters.

Taxpayers subsidise racing clubs and venues that hold a handful of events a year – if that – thanks to ‘tradition’. It is one of the great surviving Country Party rorts.

You’ve heard of this thing in Melbourne called the Spring Carnival?

Damn! I go away for a few days and the buggers find some other way to waste my – and your – money. Shut it down if it can’t stand on it’s own feet. I can see no social benefit that would justify use of taxpayers money.

I don’t understand why horse racing is even legal. Circus’s can’t have performing animals….

The whole regulatory and financial assistance structure of racing is an anachronism from the days (over half a century ago) when it was a mass sport. Thousands of people used to go the the horse races, the trots and the dogs, as a day or night out. Nowadays, three people and a dog go to the vast majority of race meetings – it is all sustained by offsite gambling.

Let’s not even get started on how fair it is to punters.

Taxpayers subsidise racing clubs and venues that hold a handful of events a year – if that – thanks to ‘tradition’. It is one of the great surviving Country Party rorts.

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