- Queensland Racing Integrity Commission to undergo independent review
- Review to be completed in first quarter of 2024
- Palaszczuk Government committed to animal welfare and integrity
Racing Minister Grace Grace has announced an independent best practice review of the state's racing regulatory body, the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC), starting in January.
Minister Grace said that QRIC has been operating since 2016 and that it was timely for an independent review to ensure the body keeps delivering high integrity and animal welfare standards for the industry into the future.
With the appointment of an independent reviewer close to being finalised, the review is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024.
The review will explore:
- Findings and analysis of the current state of QRIC's powers and managerial functions.
- Best practices in training, communication, and development programs for service delivery functions.
- Proposed actions for ongoing sustainability to elevate QRIC's regulatory standards
- Recommendations for enhanced operational models of governance, decision-making, cultural change and support services.
The Palaszczuk Government remains committed to a standalone, independent racing regulatory regime, as recommended in the MacSporran Report.
The MacSporran Commission found that industry self-regulation had failed and that there were existing tensions between Racing Queensland's commercial interests and its animal welfare and integrity interests.
The Palaszczuk Government implemented the MacSporran Report's recommendation to split racing's governance structure into two separate bodies, one focused on commercial and the other on integrity and animal welfare.
Quotes attributable to Racing Minister Grace Grace:
"The Palaszczuk Government is committed to supporting a safe, sustainable racing industry operating to the highest standards of animal welfare and integrity," she said.
"QRIC has been operating for seven years and in that time it has succeeded in implementing nation-leading animal welfare reforms and providing strong integrity oversight of racing.
"Queensland's racing industry has thrived since the creation of QRIC, with increased turnover and prizemoney, new and improved racing infrastructure and strong animal welfare and integrity standards.
"In an ever-evolving industry, we want to ensure that QRIC continues to deliver for racing participants and we believe it's timely that after seven years an independent review into its operations is undertaken to ensure it remains a best practice regulator.
"Industry supports this independent review and I look forward to receiving the report and its recommendations next year."
