The Labor Government today introduced into Parliament the Racing Amendment (Integrity and Disciplinary Structures) Bill 2018 which will establish two new bodies the Victorian Racing Integrity Board and the Victorian Racing Tribunal.

The Bill will also strengthen the Racing Integrity Commissioners Board of Inquiry powers.

The Victorian Racing Integrity Board will oversee the relationship between racing controlling bodies and their integrity staff, to ensure senior staff of Racing Victoria, Greyhound Racing Victoria and Harness Racing Victoria can operate independently from commercial considerations.

The board will also have the power to investigate complaints about integrity issues made by controlling body board members, integrity managers, or the Chief and Deputy Chief Steward. It can also direct a controlling body to provide information or take specific actions.

The establishment of the Victorian Racing Tribunal will ensure that Victoria has the right disciplinary regime to enforce the rules of racing across the three codes.

Headed by a current or former judicial officer, the new independent Victorian Racing Tribunal will have a strengthened regime of powers, including the power to compel someone to attend a hearing to give evidence and to take evidence under oath.

The Bill also establishes new offences for failing to comply with a summons, knowingly providing false or misleading information, refusing to answer a question, or refusing to be sworn in when before the Victorian Racing Tribunal.

The Bill will also abolish merit review appeals to VCAT ensuring cases are heard in a timely manner and to provide certainty for all racing participants.

The new laws will also enhance the Racing Integrity Commissioners Board of Inquiry powers, ensuring a person cannot avoid being questioned by the Commissioner because they have been disqualified, handed in their licence or registration, or resigned.

These reforms form part of the Labor Governments response to the 2015 Bittar Review of the racing industry controlling bodies.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Racing Martin Pakula

Were making sure that racing has an integrity regime and an appeals process which is modern, robust and fair.

The new cross code integrity board will ensure stewards have greater independence and an increased ability to ensure that those who do the wrong thing are held accountable. "

I don't like the idea of removing the right to go to VCAT for merit review. In NSW we currently can't go to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (that should change with GWIC though) and that has been a disadvantage for participants.

If the Board and the Tribunal do their jobs properly it should be fine. The problem is that if the Tribunal is not acting fairly you have nowhere to go that won't cost you a fortune, like the courts.

They say it will provide certainty for participants. In NSW we have certainty. Once GRNSW have decided to charge you, you know they will find you guilty and you know if you appeal the Tribunal will almost certainly dismiss your appeal (they might just vary the penalty a little). Certainty is not the same as fair.

The Victorian Government will be GONE AT THE NEXT ELECTIONS ..
There is no point even discussing this because it will not even come into play ..

The Labour in Victoria is a very endangered species ...

Lest not forget the actions of our State and Federal Government over the past 3 years ...

Incredible to think these Polis and industry shakers are SPENDING MORE MONEY to try and find a simple Answer .

It is all SMOKE AND MIRRORS ,,,Dodging weaving ...Very Typical

When under pressure, the automatic reaction of governments and bureaucracies is to add more staff and to create additional bodies to oversee the bodies that were first responsible.

Once the first state initiated a split of commercial and (so-called) integrity functions, others quickly followed, all using the argument that a single organisation could not serve two masters.

All of which ignores the fact that businesses big and small do that every day. Their success depends primarily on how the boss knits it all together to achieve the main aim. If he can't, he gets sacked.

That's why "pet" controllers elbowed out greyhound administrators in Victoria. It's why policemen are being hired to do steward's jobs (including sampling 100% of starters at Albion Park). It's why industry reviewers came up with flawed conclusions because they failed to understand the whole package. It's why NSW has come up with puppy bonds even though it seems they have no real authority to do that.

Sadly, whether Andrews gets back or not, these things have a way of persisting, not least because the bureaucrats pulling the strings like to defend their patch. (The Libs cleaned it up in Queensland but then got sacked for their trouble).

The trick is to get in first and early. If you conquer the new ball you have a good chance of posting a big score. If not, you will have to wait for the next game - meaning major reform and marches down Collins/Macquarie/Queen streets.

if my dog gets booked for maring - who hears the case

if I get pinged for poor medical treatment records and stewards fine me 250 who do I appeal to

greyhound industry is rife with "accidential positivies" knackery meat, cobolt, arsenic - will these clog up the new system.

I`dve thought radb hearings for greyhound offences far exceed those of the other codes? but that doesnt make the other codes any more honest

will it give stewards more power to investigate, judge and penalise participants AND cut off avenues for "independent" (lol) review

will grv be able to influence penalties- it appears that murder will only get you a suspension currently but a couple of years ago xyzalzine from knackery meat got you disqualified along with associated persons for up to six months

could well be a lot of fine print and may not be all for the good of our participants

On the contrary, there's lots of bad evidence (corruption, blackout risks, CFA) and not much good evidence. So it's matter of how voters see their basic preferences being handled.

As a distant observer, the Libs have no dominant theme or leader. Without a Hawke or a Menzies type, any political party is going to be battling to win. Oppositions seldom win power - but governments can lose power. That's why Abbott beat Rudd/Gillard. Further, I suspect Foley lacks the oomph to succeed in NSW while Gladys is handing out goodies to all and sundry.

Right or wrong, Gladys is "doing stuff". Those folk opposing expenditure on stadiums will be far outnumbered by footie followers.

Michael here is the betting with Crown:

2018 Victoria Election - Party of Premier

Labor
1.85
Coalition
1.88

I think there is a big chance. They will lose the seat I am in. I want the racing minister gone for my reasons and I will be participating on election day in whatever capacity.

its about 45% vote labour
and about 45% liberal
5/6 % swinging
the rest wouldnt know what day it was and wouldnt care less who is in power as long as their Dole cheque keeps rolling in ,

in the circle where i frequent no one is talking about a change of government, they do talk about how hopeless the current one is ,
but they all concede the alternative would be a lot worse and i personally agree with that

in 48 years living in vic i have seen lots of changes in government
i was always in building and development and it never made much difference who was in power life went on and i was always busy ,

and it will take more than a handfull of greyhound people to remove the current labour government thats just my opinion

In the racing codes 3 wise monkeys could have done the same job, because the technology had arrived that totally changed the way people had a bet, except for harness who have struggled with their image and been propped up by the other 2 codes. But I am not talking about that, I am talking about INTEGRITY the buzz word that they spruke to cover their arses when they make mistakes. Look at RVL, the Chair, CEO, Chief Vet, Integrity Chief, Chief Steward, all resigned, coincidence, I think not, change is coming.

GRV has a board that does not know which end of the dog barks let alone experience in the racing industries and the board that replaced the one that resigned after Tooradin were even worse. If you were to get HONEST answers from people on the GOTBA or the race clubs you might get a different perspective about GRV. They have cash to splash and they continue to do it. I could go on as I have had first hand experience with the CEO and the rubbish that was spewed out which has been proven to be false. What about the ICG (Industry Consulting Group) They were hand picked and had to sign confidentiality agreements, people who might challenge need not apply.

Carly is correct this involves all 3 codes not a handful of Greyhound folk.
Cheers