Madeleine Ogilvie,Minister for Racing
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is the strongest supporter of our entire racing industry which according to a recently released report generates more than $185 million a year in economic activity in the State, particularly benefiting rural and regional areas, and supports thousands of jobs across the State.
I made my support very clear in Parliament in my first week as Minister for Racing – Dean Winter was obviously not paying attention.
Mr Winter has also conveniently forgotten that it was the former Labor Government that drove our racing industry to the wall by selling the TOTE for a pittance and setting the industry back years.
We have turned the industry around and significantly invested in racing since coming to Government, with investments including an annual increase in stakes across all three racing codes of 16 per cent over four years, including 6 per cent in 2021-22. We have already delivered on that commitment with an 8 per cent code funding increase in October 2021 and 4 per cent in January 2022.
We are also investing more money than ever before into greyhound and horse welfare to ensure they are treated with dignity and care, before, during and after their racing days.
It is clear that the only danger to Tasmania’s greyhound racing industry would be a Labor-Green minority Government, as the Greens would surely demand the industry be shut down as part of any deal.
Mr Winter has chosen to come out on this today in a desperate attempt to take the focus off the problems and divisions in the Labor party associated with the ongoing situation with Ben McGregor.
