Some of the biggest races of the year called off as betting-tax stoush heats up
Queensland's Spring racing season has been thrown into chaos as a stoush between the thoroughbred racing industry and the State Government heats up.
Key points:
- The industry has called off races this Saturday after its deadline for the Government to make changes to the gambling tax passed
- Its upset over how the new tax is being distributed
- Jockeys, trainers, and breeders are planning more strikes for Melbourne Cup day
In protest over the handling of a new 15-per-cent betting tax, the Australian Trainers Association said events in Doomben, Gold Coast, Townsville and Toowoomba for this weekend's Cox Plate Day had been called off.
The association — which has the majority support of owners, jockeys, trainers and breeders — last week gave a deadline to the State Government to push for negotiations on the recently introduced Point of Consumption Tax.
The industry is upset over how the Government plans to distribute some of the expected $70 million revenue from the new tax.
Under the new tax plan Racing Queensland will see about $18 million of debt forgiven and an additional $20 million grant to build two new racing facilities.
Last month, Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said a "significant portion" of revenue would also be channelled towards the greyhound and harness racing industry.
But Cameron Partington from the Australian Trainers Association said the thoroughbred industry was set to miss out.
"They gave the money to Racing Queensland but they told Racing Queensland how to spend it," he said.
"It became just pushing money around, it didn't go into the participants pockets at all, it wasn't increasing prizemoney.
"The State Government have been well aware of our negotiations, or lack of negotiations, over the last few weeks trying to get them to come to the party and invest in the thoroughbred racing industry.
Mr Partington said the industry had no other option but to take strike action this weekend.
"It's one of the bigger days for people to go to the races and it's going to be unfortunate for us that we're not there putting on our show but it's unfortunate for the punters and the public who go to these events," he said.
"But the message we're sending to the Government is we know how much we're hurting, that we're prepared to cop one in the pocket.
"The Queensland thoroughbred industry has been battling for a decade or more."
Similar strike action is also planned for Melbourne Cup events in Queensland in the first week of November.
A spokesman for Mr Hinchliffe said the Government had not shifted on its position.
[contf]
[contfnew]
ABC .net
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]
