{"id":129048,"date":"2015-12-04T06:07:21","date_gmt":"2015-12-03T20:07:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=129048"},"modified":"2020-11-02T17:02:40","modified_gmt":"2020-11-02T07:02:40","slug":"cutbacks-target-country-racing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/12\/04\/cutbacks-target-country-racing\/","title":{"rendered":"Cutbacks Target Country Racing"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_114007\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-114007\" style=\"width: 740px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/20150711-wondai10.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-114007\" title=\"20150711 Wondai Races\" src=\"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/20150711-wondai10.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"460\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/20150711-wondai10.jpg 620w, https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/20150711-wondai10-300x186.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-114007\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The South Burnett (Wondai), Nanango and Kumbia race clubs could all lose race meetings under recommendations from Racing Queensland to the State Government<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>December 4, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The South Burnett could lose up to four race meetings in future &#8211; and possibly more &#8211; under a controversial plan to rein in Racing Queensland&#8217;s escalating debts.<\/p>\n<p>The &#8220;Tracking Towards Sustainability&#8221; report released on Thursday recommends Racing Queensland (RQ) strip $4.2 million from country racing as part of its drive to stem an expected $28 million loss this financial year.<\/p>\n<p>It notes that although country racing provides a significant community benefit &#8220;there is no financial return to RQ&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>The report says RQ has been paying out too much in prize money and other costs while income from betting hasn&#8217;t risen.<\/p>\n<p>It suggests a number of cost-saving measures as well as a move to favour TAB meetings (which generate revenue to RQ) over non-TAB meetings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Recommendations include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The axing of the Country Queensland Showcase Series, the Celebrate Country Series and the Sustain Country Series, introduced by the LNP Government<\/strong> (this change could mean the Kumbia Race Club &#8211; granted an extra race meeting under the Sustain Country Series &#8211; would return to a single meeting a year)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Clubs which hold between four and seven race meetings per year be reduced to three<\/strong> (this change could see the Nanango Race Club lose three of its six race meetings)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Reducing prize money and slashing subsidies given to country race clubs to strip a further $5.2 million from Queensland country racing<\/strong> (the report proposes 20 per cent of the savings be put into a sinking fund which could be used to upgrade ageing infrastructure at country race tracks)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The report proposes that once Racing Queensland returns to financial stability, a portion of the savings be used to develop a regional &#8220;hub and spoke&#8221; model for country racing.<\/p>\n<p>A central hub in each region would be upgraded to TAB status and race on a regular basis, while the remaining clubs would race once or twice a year.<\/p>\n<p>If no South Burnett race club was selected as a regional hub, both Nanango and Wondai could both lose a further race.<\/p>\n<p>However, the report also suggests racing clubs look for funding for extra race meetings from alternative sources such as &#8220;sponsors, regional councils and community action&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>If they can raise this support, Racing Queensland &#8220;will facilitate the conduct of any such meeting, agreeing an appropriate date with the club in question&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;(Racing Queensland) may also be willing to provide an additional meeting or meetings subject to the club providing adequate subsidisation of the stewarding and race day costs incurred by RQ.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_104794\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-104794\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/billbyrne1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-104794\" title=\"Bill Byrne\" src=\"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/billbyrne1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/billbyrne1.jpg 200w, https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/billbyrne1-184x300.jpg 184w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-104794\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Racing Minister Bill Byrne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>In a bid offset the impact of the Racing Queensland cuts, Racing Minister Bill Byrne immediately announced a $21 million Queensland Country Racing Support Program package.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>He said the government would guarantee funding for country race clubs for four years.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Byrne said the package would give regional clubs time to &#8220;adjust&#8221; to the reduced level of funding from Racing Queensland.<\/p>\n<p>He said tough decisions needed to be made to return Racing Queensland to surplus but this should not be at the detriment of the regions.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Living in Central Queensland I know firsthand the role that country race meets play in regional Queensland,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s not just about the race meet. It\u2019s the social aspect as well as the significant economic boost they bring for the small businesses in those communities.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>However, Mr Byrne said Queensland taxpayers shouldn\u2019t be underwriting RQ which has a large portion of its spending going to prize money on horse races.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34219\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34219\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/jann-stuckey-200x350.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34219\" title=\"Jann Stuckey\" src=\"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/jann-stuckey-200x350.jpg\" alt=\"Jann Stuckey\" width=\"200\" height=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/jann-stuckey-200x350.jpg 200w, https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/jann-stuckey-200x350-171x300.jpg 171w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34219\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shadow Racing Minister Jann Stuckey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>The LNP says the proposed cuts are unfair and unnecessary.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Shadow Racing Minister Jann Stuckey warned that 60 race meetings across Queensland would lose their funding and up to $19 million of prize money would be cut out of the industry.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;All year I have been championing the push to retain funding for country racing and today\u2019s announcement is a huge blow to the industry,&#8221; Ms Stuckey said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The industry is already angry and upset at being used as a political football by Racing Minister Bill Byrne and today is another slap in the face.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This incompetent Labor government is holding Racing Queensland back and only released the &#8216;Tracking Towards Sustainability&#8217; report after months and months of pressure from the Opposition.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Now the document has finally been released, the Minister has shown his true intention &#8211; to cut, slash and attack the racing industry.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Ms Stuckey said the decrease in prize money would seriously impact on Queensland\u2019s ability to compete against other States.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The report indicates $4.6 million will be cut from country racing prize money while $8.5 million will be cut from the thoroughbred racing prize money,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;NSW are increasing the amount of prize money for races, attracting more quality racing product, while Queensland is left languishing behind other States.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ms Stuckey said after 10 months, Labor\u2019s agenda for racing in Queensland was now clear and the picture wasn&#8217;t pretty.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Labor has forced Racing Queensland to do all the heavy lifting, cutting costs all over the place, while it continues to maintain the same wagering tax revenue,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p>Ms Stuckey said Mr Byrne also had questions to answer about the costs associated with the greyhound inquiry.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The acting CEO&#8217;s wage is expected to reach $1 million, $600,000 was paid for security and kennelling of greyhounds and potentially millions in out-of-court payments to trainers whose dogs were illegally seized,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The costs for establishing and maintaining the Integrity Commission and Commissioner are yet to be released while the new Board is still unannounced.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The fact remains that Racing Queensland is leaderless, rudderless and without direction.&#8221;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The 97-page report Tracking Towards Sustainability report can be downloaded from Racing Queensland&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.racingqueensland.com.au\/Industry-News\/2015\/December\/Tracking-to-Sustainability-Report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Additional comment: <a href=\"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/12\/miss-alexandra-looks-for-3-2-1\/\">Gunsynd&#8217;s Gossip<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The South Burnett could lose up to four race meetings &#8211; and possibly more in future &#8211; if the State Government proceeds with controversial recommendations designed to rein in Racing Queensland&#8217;s escalating debts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":114007,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16,3,58,6],"tags":[73,30,1136,26],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.11 - 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