MOST stakeholders and the punting public are trying to come to terms with how Racing Minister Tim Mander has allowed the Queensland industry to lose one of the best stewards in the world.
Of more concern are the reasons behind why Kim Kelly quit at a time when the new LNP Government Review into Racing promised that any changes would not reflect on how the three codes are policed.
Kelly has ‘walked’ because he disagrees with recommendations of the Review that will see the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission virtually abolished when its operation is transferred to Racing Queensland at a corporate level.
Kelly believes that will see QRIC lose its independence and says that is not what he ‘signed up for’. The Labor Government established QRIC to ensure there was a separation of powers between administration and integrity.
Now the LNP – on the advice of the Review conducted by Sydneysider Matt McGrath, who controversially wound up Chairman of the new RQ Board, is going back to where the trouble began. The Government says it is aimed at cutting costs. Stakeholders and punters question: ‘What price integrity?’
Racing Minister Mander promises there will be no repeat of what happened in the past when RQ Board Chairmen interfered with the Integrity process. Under one era, high profile stewards were sacked, another was considered to be ‘in bed and influencing’ the work done by a Chief Stipe and then who can forget the Hinze era when it was ‘anything goes’ provided it benefitted ‘Big Russ’.
It’s not often LGHR agrees with Ben Dorries of the Murdoch Media. But he was spot on declaring: ‘Sometimes in life, you don’t know what you’ve got until it has gone.’
Racing in Queensland risks returning to the laughing stock it was when then Minister Steve Dickson declared it would be a furlong in front of NSW and Victoria within 12 months. That wasn’t long before he moved to One Nation and didn’t even last with that mob.
As Dorries so rightly highlighted during its brief lifetime there were times that QRIC was ‘rated alongside used car salesmen in terms of dependability, trust and authority’.
The appointment of Kim Kelly after he returned from a long stint as a highly respected Chief Steward in Hong Kong, one of the toughest jurisdictions in the world, was a major coup. But the new LNP Government and Minister Mander relying largely on cost-cutting and the advice of Matt McGrath have managed to lose his services.
What Dorries nor Kelly have told you at this stage is that one of the major reasons for his departure is that he cannot see eye-to-eye with McGrath. And why would he? Many stakeholders regard this blokes as lacking the necessary experience when it comes to Queensland racing. He is rarely seen in Queensland and has endorsed a ‘lightweight’ in Lachlan Murray for the CEO role.
With Kelly out of the picture – and don’t worry there are some bureaucrats within QRIC who white-anted the wonderful job he was doing – what happens now?
No doubt the Estimates Hearing this week will be told how millions have been sliced from the cost of Integrity due to this virtual amalgamation with administration. From the policing of racing perspective who now takes responsibility for what Kelly was doing?
There is a role to be known as Integrity Commissioner but where do you find someone of Kelly’s credentials to fill that? You don’t!
There are talks of Hong Kong Chief Steward Marc Van Destel, a former Sydneysider, being head-hunted. Others have suggested that former Chief Steward Wade Birch will make a comeback. He worked for a Board that was sacked in the wake of what was exposed in the greyhound industry. Then there’s his reported close relationship with one of Australia’s most notorious punters.
Some close to the coalface are are saying the position was created for Kym Daly, the one-time harness driver, steward and assistant to McGrath in his Review. Daly is an old school-mate of the Minister and was appointed to the new Board. He could hardly hold that position and Integrity Commissioner as well.
One wonders what happens to Mary Collyer now that she has completed her report on recommendations of the McGrath Review. Perhaps they might create a new role as a Racing Ombudsman (or woman) which Mary would be ideally suited to.
The bottom line is that those close to the Ministerial Department say McGrath didn’t like some of Collyer’s recommendations. And they say that there is plenty of animosity between he and Kelly. More reasons for the Minister to have Kelly and Collyer working alongside this Sydney ring-in – who LGHR struggles to find someone that likes him.
And on the subject of cutting costs. Instead of eating into the Integrity Budget and risking the loss of confidence on the gallops, to go along with the ‘red hots’, why not raise funds by selling Deagon and cutting back on the major infrastructure redevelopment plans for Albion Park.
If Saturday night’s crowd for the Interdominion Grand Final is any indication harness racing certainly does not need grandiose grandstand facilities. And what about the pathetic turnover on some of the races. Here’s hoping the corporates were holding plenty.
And just to finish today’s delivery, now that a National Tote has become a reality why not up the ante with the Point Of Consumption Tax for these ‘grubby’ corporates. Then again – had it not been for Cabinet intervention – McGrath and his lacky Lachy were urging the Minister to reduce it. And they wonder why the racing industry in Queensland is stuffed.
