IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports on a lack of consultation with country trainers before Racing Queensland decided to implement a starters’ fee to finance Workcover premiums.
Butts has an extensive interview with the President of the powerful Rockhampton Trainers’ Association which has more members but is treated second rate compared to the politically influential Queensland branch of the ATA based in the south-east corner.
Here is the Butts column:
COUNTRY TRAINERS FEAR NEW STARTERS’ FEE WILL PUT THEM OUT OF BUSINESS
PRESIDENT of the powerful Rockhampton Trainers’ Association (RTA), Jim Rundle, is adamant the proposal to introduce a starters’ fee for Workcover premiums in Queensland will seriously disadvantage trainers outside the metropolitan area.
And Rundle says some country trainers have reported it could put them out of business.
Under the new scheme all trainers will be charged a fee of $65 for starters in metropolitan races, $50 for TAB mid-weeks, $35 provincial and $25 country TAB and $10 non TAB.
But Mr Rundle, who hotly opposes the changes, claims it is simply to benefit the big city trainers at the expense of non metropolitan trainers.
And he says RQ has not answered the question whether the Workers’ Compensation Board agrees with the proposed changes.
Besides, he points out, prizemoney in the metropolitan area is 300 per cent more than provincial – yet provincial areas will pay 53 per cent of the metropolitan fee.
How does that work?
And the question is asked: Who will actually pay the $65 fee?
Will trainers simply pass it on to the owner?
Well, will they?
IF so, it is totally against the whole idea and principle of Workers’ Compensation. The safety and welfare of employees is the trainer’s responsibility – not that of the owners.
And if this new fee is passed on to owners – trainers who have complained of hefty Workers’ Compensation premiums (one claims he pays $65,000 a year) could in fact not pay a cent.
True.
RQ ‘IGNORED’ COUNTRY TRAINERS AND JUST LISTENED TO ITS ‘CITY MATES’
THE starters’ fee idea was raised more than 12 months ago and from the outset has been vigorously opposed by Mr Rundle and his members.
“We recommended a working group be set up with RQ, ATA, Workcover and RTA to examine all issues and recommended that all Queensland trainers have input.
“This request was never responded to by RQ.
“And now we find the proposal has been adopted by the RQ CEO and the RQ Board without any consultation with the RTA or country trainers,” said Mr Rundle.
“Neither the RTA nor any trainer I have contacted was aware of such a proposal.
“It would appear secret discussions have been held with selected people in Brisbane to arrive at the proposed plan.
“A plan that is skewered to favour a few,” he said.
Mr Rundle said in the short time he has had to consult with trainers, (less than a week) many have come forward and are vigorously opposed to the starters’ fee proposal.
“RQ tells us the present system is not working and there are people cheating the system.
“I doubt this very much” he said.
“The fact is, prize-money in Queensland is so low that trainers have had to tighten their belts and work at reducing costs, which means using family to perform work that would normally be done by employed staff.
“If the present system is not working, the system that is supported by Workcover, why not find out why? And fix the problem.
“The RTA and trainers I have spoken to are committed to working with RQ, the ATA and Workcover to investigate and solve the problems with the current system.
“Why throw out a system without first investigating the problems?
“Maybe some don’t want the current system to work?”
Mr Rundle will meet with RQ this week and will try to persuade RQ to put on hold the introduction of a starters’ fee, and to investigate the current system with help from the RTA and country trainers.
Mr Rundle said he has not been provided answers to the following questions:
What research has been done to prove the current Workcover premiums are inequitable?
What research has been done to investigate the claim rates of trainers with the high premiums?
Does RQ believe Workcover has made a mistake with their cost of premiums in the racing industry and if so must have it wrong in other industries as well?
Has a computer model been developed to show the effects of the proposed changes on all trainers?
“The only conclusion we have at this stage is that some want the smaller trainers to help fund the costs of the larger trainers,” he said.
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON THE PATRICK COOPER SITUATION AND SIDESHOW
THE sideshow is over but I feel compelled to clarify my position – and reasons for the support this column (and website) gave to Patrick Cooper in his endeavour to re-enter the racing industry.
I was particularly concerned by two phone calls and an email that claimed I was to blame for Cooper missing out on the job as chief stipe for North Queensland and that I was too close to him and would benefit (as a licensee) if Cooper had been appointed.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
I have never been socially associated with the man but, like many in the game, considered him to be a good, serious and unbiased steward and respected him as such.
Stewards’ reports of the past clearly show that I had more run-ins with him over the years than all other stewards combined.
I went to bat for him because I feel he has been very badly treated by RQ since he was virtually cast aside by his colleagues following an incident at Rockhampton some years ago.
This was all because (in Cooper’s belief) he and his panel refused to take action against a jockey, who a prominent Central Queensland bookmaker – yes a bookmaker – had claimed was ‘dead’ and subsequently took his gripe to a good mate, the then Chief Steward in Brisbane.
It was the beginning of the end for that Brisbane Chief Stipe and it was also the end of Cooper’s career.
I believe that his eventual dumping by RQ has been nothing but a terrible loss to the industry and a great injustice to the man.
But there is more, much more – and all will be revealed – soon.
ATTENDANT HAD ‘SELECTIVE MEMORY’ WHEN IT CAME TO POSITIVE SWAB INQUIRY
THE following is a trainer’s version of his cross-examination of a swab attendant during a recent inquiry involving a positive swab.
Do you remember my horse being swabbed that day?’
‘Yes. I have a very good memory.’
The trainer then went on to question how many horses the attendant had actually swabbed prior to and since this horse had won and returned a positive.
The attendant said: ‘About 600.’
And you remember my horse?
‘Yes, clearly’.
‘What sex was it?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘What colour?’
‘Don’t know.’
That was when the trainer said he decided to ask no further questions.
COULD ACCOUNTING AT THE MACKAY RACE CLUB END UP IN COURT?
THE tip is strong that things are still not all that rosy in Mackay racing despite a complete change at the top of the table.
Lou Kinsey is back in the chair but efforts to entice former CEO Joe Hynes back have failed, which is a shame as he was, and still is, considered one of the best administrators in the country.
But, more seriously, there is a whisper that the club’s accounting is causing a bit of concern, and the matter might even end up in court.
TRAINER PLANS TO APPEAL AS POSITIVES TO THIS DRUG CONTINUE TO EMBARRASS RQ
STILL on Mackay, leading local trainer Darren Symons will appeal an $8,000 fine imposed last week by stewards after a positive to Prednisolone by his horse Rafranoz on September 3 last year. He was also disqualified for three months on another positive that the horse Heroic Action returned to an anabolic.
In relation to Prednisolone the trainer claimed: “Someone got at my horse as I have never used Solu Cortef (commercial name) in my life.”
Last year the trainer was fined a total of $12,000 on three charges relating to the anabolic Testopop.
“It hasn’t been a good season,” lamented Symons yesterday, who added, “but I reckon $8,000 is a bit rich.”
Prednisolone is the drug that RQ stewards at one stage had seven trainers charged with using.
But late last year most of the charges were dropped after it was discovered a disparity in testing techniques at different laboratories.
The one-off appeal by trainer Tony Bita set down for next month against his fine and conviction for alleged use of Prednisolone is creating plenty of interest and has been exacerbated somewhat now by the stewards’ ruling on Symonds last week.
HOME HILL GRANTED NEW DATE – MARCH 15 – FOR LAST SATURDAY’S LOST MEETING
HOME HILL lost its meeting last Saturday due to rain but the club was quick to apply and duly secured a new date – March 15.
Hard working president Ross Tapiolas praised the effort of acting NQ chief steward Matt Haigh and RQ race dates co-ordinator Col Truscott for their approach to his request, and is now hoping to enthuse the local Irish Community to celebrate St Patrick’s Day at the Home Hill races on that Saturday.
I’m not so sure about the green beer but the track will certainly be GREEN after all the welcome rain down on the Burdekin.
COLUMN COURTESY OF TERRY BUTTS AND THE NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, one of Australia's leading rural newspapers.
TERRY BUTTS can be contacted by e-mailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
