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QUEENSLAND TRAINERS’ ASSOCIATION RETURNS FIRE ON TWO FRONTS

THE newly-elected president of the Queensland Trainers’ Association, ROSS SHANNON, has contributed this article not only defending his predecessor JIM RUNDLE, who quit, in controversial circumstances, days after being appointed to the new Racing Queensland, but also to set the record straight on issues and ill-feeling which have the QTA and the Queensland branch of the ATA at loggerheads with little chance of a resolution.

‘THE recent article, ‘Back at Ya Lucky’, reproduced on letsgohorseracing from Archie Butterfly’s site, itsnotnormalisit, certainly made for interesting reading.

Archie seemingly attempted to justify his recent theme of personal attacks on Jim Rundle and then tried to undermine the credentials of the Queensland Trainers’ Association.

There’s no doubt that from the tone of his article he could be viewed as a  free thinker with a bit of larrikin in him but unfortunately his motives for such a vitriolic attack still remain a mystery best known to him.

If, as he stated, he doesn’t go to trackwork or Trainer’s Association meetings then I’m not sure where he gained his information or qualifications to comment on the challenges and issues which face trainers in their daily efforts to succeed in a very tough industry, right across Queensland.

In regard to Jim Rundle, past president of the Queensland Trainers’ Association, it’s certainly true that there were some posts on his Facebook page which had been sent to him which he “liked” and re-posted, mostly in early 2015.  His “crime” was to “like” posts which related to subjects with banners proclaiming “No Sharia Law in Australia”. Other posts related to Halal certification of foods and whether people should support or boycott those companies who choose to certify their foods.

Does this make Jim a racist? Letgohorseracing readers can make up their own minds on that and perhaps do their own research on these subjects online.

This type of subject matter has been widely aired in mainstream media, political circles and in public circles for the past few years. There’s no doubt that often the facts are sketchy. The more informed all Australian citizens are of the facts relating to these issues then it increases the likelihood of a more accurate debate.

The Australian Parliament commissioned a Senate Committee to hold an Inquiry in 2015 into Halal food certification and reported back in December 2015. It is on record, that they found little evidence to support claims that Halal certification payments found their way to support terrorist groups. However, no one seemed to brand these Senators racist for holding the Inquiry.

On the subject of Sharia Law, Australia’s former Treasurer, Peter Costello, argued in 2006 that “there is one law we are all expected to abide by. It is the law enacted by Parliament under the Australian Constitution. If you can’t accept that then you don’t accept the fundamentals of what Australia is and what it stands for.”

The media didn’t seem to whip itself into a frenzy with accusations of racism over these comments.

Research undertaken in 2004-2005 reported that “there is a high level of apprehension amongst the general population about Muslims in our suburbs.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean that people are racist, more likely they don’t understand exactly what constitutes the Islam faith and how that relates to our society’s interactions.

It’s probably fair to say some of the same feelings may have been evident in the Australian population following the large amount of European migration to Australia post World War II and also the Vietnamese migration post the Vietnam war era.

After a lot of initial suspicion and concerns in the general population there became an acceptance that these migrants worked hard and brought benefits to our society across the board. People often need lots of information and effort from new communities before widespread acceptance occurs.

‘QTA HAD THE TEMERITY TO CHALLENGE RACING ROYALTY’

HOWEVER, back to the Queensland Trainers’ Association and we would like to thank Archie for raising our profile. Publicity is often hard to buy on a budget and Archie has given us plenty for free.

He’s correct in his comment that our organization started out as the Rockhampton Trainers’ Association. Initially our representatives mainly worked with the local race clubs to help make improvements to training and racing improvements in the local area.

However, a proposal which Racing Queensland tried to introduce in July 2012, relating to how Trainers’ Workers’ Compensation insurance would be paid raised many concerns regarding a sweetheart deal between the ATA Queensland branch members and the RQ executive team. This seemed to involve added expense for all country and provincial trainers and a subsidy for many metropolitan trainers. It just wasn’t equitable.

Not only was this scheme immoral but also illegal. Workers’ Compensation Queensland eventually washed their hands of the matter and asked RQ to remove all references to their name from RQ correspondence to trainers.

The ATA Queensland branch members, particularly those who view themselves as “racing royalty” reacted badly. As far as they were concerned it was a done deal, the handshakes had been made and champagne corks popped.

Who were the minnows and plebs from the backblocks who had the temerity to challenge the ATA’s authority and cosey relationships with Racing Queensland executive team at that time?

Rockhampton Trainers’ representatives were invited to attend an ATA Queensland branch meeting in Brisbane at that time, primarily as it turned out to have our minds retrained to show the appropriate respect and obedience when in the presence of “racing royalty” and greatness exuding from some the assembled Group 1 trainers.

The Rocky trainers might have watched some Group 1 racing and even got within viewing distance of champion horses, albeit never having one in their stable. However the smell of horse manure is fairly universal and what came out of the ATA members’ mouths had a very different smell to horse manure.

Even Archie would know that if something smells like sewerage, and looks like sewerage then it probably is sewerage. Archie also probably knows that the Fitzroy sewerage works is adjacent to Rockhampton racetrack at Callaghan Park so Rocky trainers had that advantage, instantly recognizing what was flowing from the mouths of the ATA members when the stench hit their olfactory senses.

Talk about a group of people throwing a hissy fit, those ATA guys present could also spit more venom than a room full of cobra snakes.

For some reason they don’t seem to have liked us much since, seeing we didn’t know our place in their pecking order.

One of their Group 1 trainer members made it clear that he thought the sooner all country racing and provincial racing disappeared the better it would be for those anointed into “racing royalty”. He postulated that all country trainers are mugs who have no idea what they are doing and the sooner racing in Queensland was based on two tracks in south-east Queensland with maybe 40 registered trainers following a Hong Kong model for racing the better things would be. The “here, here” chant and high fives that went around the room made it clear it was the bush or bust for us. We had to row our own boat from now on. The ATA Queensland branch showed no interest in fostering racing north of the Sunshine Coast. Even the Sunny Coast only really got a look in because a couple of financial members happen to live there.

Flabbergasted by the ATA attitude to racing outside of the metro area, other regional trainers asked if they could join the QTA and offer financial support for our fight if it ever went ‘legal”. Trainers from Brisbane to Mt Isa joined and paid their membership fee. Therefore it was no longer appropriate to be called the Rockhampton Trainers’ Association. Hence the name was changed to the Queensland Trainers’ Association to more accurately reflect the fact the members now resided across the whole State.

Wow, didn’t that get the Cobra venom going again when the ATA found out their authority had once again been usurped. They had warned Jim Rundle and the RTA Executive there would be dire consequences if their wishes were not adhered to. After doing nothing for years to support regional racing they of course had to be joking when they said they would do their best to embrace a new caring and inclusive culture for their country cousins.

So where does that leave us now. Archie said he personally doubts that the QTA has more than 32 members. Sorry to say Archie, it has many more.

At last count the ATA Queensland branch had 33 financial members, one of whom was Jim Rundle.

Isn’t that a pretty pathetic effort considering there are more than 900 registered thoroughbred trainers in Queensland?

Obviously the vast majority can’t see any benefit in joining the ATA despite their big pot of cash on hand and property investments shown on the national balance sheet.

There’s probably no need for Archie to hit the gym just yet to get in shape for a backward bunny hop naked down the newly opened Eagle Farm straight. He’s quite right the QTA doesn’t have $50 grand in the bank.

Because of the tyranny of distance quite a bit of the QTA budget is spent on travel costs primarily to Brisbane to attend industry meetings in order that a fair and balanced case can be put forward when the RQ administration might be grappling with regional and country racing issues. We certainly don’t want just the ATA views put forward.

Archie’s offer is pretty tempting though and we might consider a crowd funding campaign to bump the bank balance up. Then again it’s a hard job getting any one to even go to the races in Brisbane these days so I’m not sure a naked Archie would be a ratings winner.

The QTA is always seeking to broaden our membership base. The QTA fights issues on behalf of the industry as a whole, not one just out of pure self interest.

As Archie points out $50 per year to join the QTA offers great value.

We look forward to welcoming new members who would like a voice to speak up for them when issues of importance to all racing participants are up for debate.

‘NEED FOR PLAN B IF THE RACING INTEGRITY BILL IS DEFEATED IN HOUSE’

ALBERT WILLIAMS, of REDCLIFFE, a regular contributor on all things racing in Queensland predicts the coming week could define the future of the industry in the north:

‘IF reports filtering back from the inner sanctum are correct the next week could well be one of the most important in the history of Queensland racing.

The controversial Racing Integrity Bill goes before the House and if the mail is right it will almost certainly be defeated.

Where does the Government then stand on racing? What will those on the other side of politics suggest? More importantly, has someone got a Plan B?

There won’t be too many more opportunities like this to get things right. Governments are rarely in the minority and that throws up the chance to remove politics from the equation in the selection process.

Since the QTC was removed as the control body by the Labor Government and Racing Minister Bob Gibbs, the industry has lurched from one crisis to another – politically at least. Most stakeholders now accept there has been too much Government and political interference in the appointment of those to control boards not to mention other important functions of the three codes.

It’s time for change and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity looks set to arise in the next week. If the Integrity Bill is defeated, as expected, with the Katter Australia Party and Independent support for the LNP Opposition, the Government needs to be presented with a viable and acceptable alternative that will allow them to avoid more racing embarrassment.

The current process for the election of a Board to replace those sacked by Labor when they came to office is flawed. Set aside the hasty exit of Jim Rundle after his unacceptable Facebook ‘likes’ or ‘posts’ and you have the past business links between Interim Chairman Steve Wilson and Racing Minister Grace Grace which smacks of a major conflict of interest.

There needs to be some hastily made changes to the Racing Act to enable a new Interim Board to be put in place after consultation with the racing industry and its stakeholders. I am not suggesting a return to the flawed format where directors of clubs were those calling the shots on the control body – that too got bogged down in conflicts of interest.

Perhaps what is needed is a joint ‘caretaker body’ put in place – involving respected industry figures who are not directors of clubs or officials of stakeholder groups along with politicians from both sides of the House who have a knowledge of the industry. This group – which has to be bipartisan – could then go about appointing a high profile CEO who could sort the wheat from the chaff among those currently manning the fort at RQ before the ‘permanent Board’ was put in place six months down the track after a consultative process acceptable to all sections of the industry free of Government interference.

Having watched the industry bog down in politics for too long I was hesitant to accept the new Queensland Racing Unity Group as the answer. With the spotlight focused on the likes of Lawrence Springborg at their initial rally at Doomben I was all but convinced this was a front for those opposed to Labor change who supported the LNP.

Time has changed my opinion of that. I am now convinced that Ian McCauley would not only make a good chairman of an Interim Caretaker Group to haul RQ out of the quicksand but that he would adopt a non-political approach because he feels so strongly about the survival and success of the industry in Queensland that he is prepared to set his political allegiances aside.

Everything else has failed in recent times. Racing has to take a punt on something new or someone new and McCauley fits the credentials. My only message to him is threefold:

Pay little more than lip service to the politicians trying to influence the decision making and appointment process;

Ensure the amalgamation of the three codes is reversed forcing harness and greyhound racing to stand on their own two feet;

And whatever happens don’t walk away from major changes to Integrity which is a desperately needed part of reversing the attitude toward the product in Queensland in which many punters have currently lost confidence.’

‘BLAME GAME’ CONTINUES OVER THE CHAMPIONSHIPS DRAWING POWER

ANDY WALTERS of MELBOURNE writes:

‘THE ‘blame game’ continues over why The Championships – the Racing NSW answer to the Victorian Spring Carnival – cannot attract a more than embarrassing crowd for a city the size of Sydney.

Even an obscene amount of prizemoney – the Government-funded $20 million – for the showpiece of Autumn racing in Sydney, has failed to draw the numbers they get for the opening of an envelope in Melbourne.

Of course that continues to get up the noses of Messrs Messara and V’landys so the Sydney racing media have to find excuses for the lack of on-course interest in The Championships and the latest is the state of the Randwick track to ensure as least embarrassment to the ‘head honchos’ as humanly possible.

The bottom line is that the same horses – and there were many quality runners and some outstanding racing – would have competed for a third of the stakes on offer. This was highlighted by the obscene amount of $4 million that was up for grabs for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes with not an international invader in sight.

The fact that Chris Waller elected not to start Winx because of the wet weather and the state of the track shows that no amount of money can buy a ‘Box Office’ hit for Sydney racing. In fact Waller, to his credit, went a step further and suggested the first thing they should do the day after The Championships ended was dig up the Randwick track.

But you can blame problems with the track, the location of the mounting yard, the new grandstand and a host of other issues, the bottom line is that officials have sold out to SKY Channel and turned racing into a television event. Why go to the races when you can watch it in the comfort of your own home or local pub or club and it will cost you nowhere near as much.

The Sydney racing media can prattle on about The Championships now being firmly established and the lack of an international runner not affecting the quality of the racing but can the Government justify such an investment for on track attendances that struggle to exceed 25,000?

Now we have Chris Waller and Robbie Waterhouse weighing into the debate with suggestions that the timing is wrong and rather than The Championships being tied to the Easter weekend it should fall anywhere over a six-week period.

At the end of the day they have more than enough prizemoney on offer but cannot attract international horses; they have the racing product but punters are reluctant to bet on a ploughed paddock which simply refuses to recover as it should after rain that inevitably falls at this time of the year and whilst there is wall-to-wall TV coverage of the spring carnival, the crowds still turn up in their tens of thousands for the big race days but for some reason in Sydney they refuse to do so.’

‘INDUSTRY GIVES UP AMID FLAWS IN RQ BOARD SELECTION PROCESS’

STAN ATHERTON of BRISBANE sent this contribution:

‘THE selection process for the appointment of Boards to run racing in Queensland is so flawed that just about all of those involved have given up on finding a suitable solution.

Even those watching with more than a passing interest from the sidelines – like previous Board chairman in Bob Bentley and Kevin Dixon – now appear to have little interest in the outcome.

One has told his closest confidantes that Racing Queensland is beyond saving and the other is reportedly enjoying a cruise to Dubai on the Queen Mary, oblivious to the dramas that continue to dog the industry.

It doesn’t seem to matter who the head-hunters or more to the point – political heavies calling the shots – come up with as suitable candidates to lead racing in Queensland out of the quicksand, within days their selection is dogged by controversy.

Jim Rundle lasted two days and he was seen as the savior of the bush. It might not be politically correct in this day and age but what comments on racial issues have to do with running racing is beyond me.

Steve Wilson, the businessman-stockbroker, apparently hand-picked by Racing Minister Grace Grace as the one most likely to save RQ now has a cloud hanging over him  - not because of his ability but due to past dealings with Ms Grace and suggestions of a conflict of interest.

As soon as a name is suggested as a likely candidate all hell breaks loose from one section or the other within the industry. Such has been the case since Peter Tighe, owner of Winx, was tipped as a likely replacement for Jim Rundle. He will walk into a storm of controversy if elected and apparently it all goes back to his days on a Harness Racing committee.

So where does the racing industry go. The stakeholders have thrown their hands in the air. Many good men and women who would make outstanding candidates for Board selection refuse to get involved. The punting public couldn’t care less – they are more worried about getting the best value for their investment and unfortunately that doesn’t seem to rest with UBET.

The answer’s a pineapple.’

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE WITH BORING FORMAT FOR QUEENSLAND CARNIVAL’

OSCAR CURTIS of the GOLD COAST writes:

‘IT’S back to the old with the new format for the Queensland ‘winter’ racing carnival and the critics are already firing more than the odd shot.

Little nice is being said about the carnival opener – a primary Saturday meeting at Toowoomba – followed by a stand-alone day at the Sunshine Coast a week later. Some are saying the carnival could not have programmed a worse start had the organizers tried.

The carnival hasn’t even finished in Sydney or moved into full swing in Adelaide and the return to a long-drawn out boring program through the Winter is about to begin in Queensland.

Old habits die hard and those who made the ritual trip up the Range for the Weetwood meeting on the Toowoomba Show holiday say that should never have been changed.

The one positive for the carnival this year is the return to racing at Eagle Farm and the re-opening of what promises to be a magnificent new track – one that is long overdue and an occasion that is bound to silence the early critics of what is happening over the next couple of weeks.'

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in the above e-mails should not be interpreted as those of JOHN LINGARD, the owner-editor of the letsgohorseracing web-site. That is why he has added an ‘EDITOR’S NOTE’. Every endeavor is made to verify the authenticity of contributors. We welcome any reasonable and constructive responses from parties or individuals.