Tasmania

[Messenger]

Tomorrow night

[Messenger]

Coming up in the next at Hobart
The only non Yole runner is being driven by Mark Yole ?!!!!!!!!!!!

[Messenger]

The Interim Murrihy Review has been released and can be found below

https://nre.tas.gov.au/Documents/Int...ust%202023.pdf

Near the start of the Executive Summary you will find

From the outset, it is important to note that with regard to the governance of welfare conditions at Tasmanian harness racing establishments, the current situation is that:

• the Rules of Racing prohibit the mistreatment of horses, however they are deficient in that they do not prescribe what is considered a minimum standard for horses and facilities at training establishments;

• the Animal Welfare Act 1993 currently has no regulations to prescribe what welfare standards are required to be met for a horse training property; and

• the Tasmanian Equine Welfare Guidelines 2008, which detail the humane treatment and welfare of horses, are not enforceable because they are guidelines and not supported by the force of the Rules of Racing.

So what can be done?

[Mighty Atom]

Hobart racing this Sunday Ben Yole lobs on course with 59 horses, the most the other trainers could muster was 54. What a logistical nightmare floating 59 horses to the racetrack.

[Showgrounds]

The Interim Murrihy Review has been released and can be found below

https://nre.tas.gov.au/Documents/Int...ust%202023.pdf

Near the start of the Executive Summary you will find

From the outset, it is important to note that with regard to the governance of welfare conditions at Tasmanian harness racing establishments, the current situation is that:

• the Rules of Racing prohibit the mistreatment of horses, however they are deficient in that they do not prescribe what is considered a minimum standard for horses and facilities at training establishments;

• the Animal Welfare Act 1993 currently has no regulations to prescribe what welfare standards are required to be met for a horse training property; and

• the Tasmanian Equine Welfare Guidelines 2008, which detail the humane treatment and welfare of horses, are not enforceable because they are guidelines and not supported by the force of the Rules of Racing.

So what can be done?

Legislate. The only positive thing, if it is positive to expose slack political will, is to introduce legislation that addresses the shortcomings identified in the report.

How fundamentally dumb is the Tasmanian Government to commission an enquiry based on non-enforceable codes of practice without the necessary acts of parliament and regulations to determine what is acceptable and unacceptable?

The team driving allegations were never going to get up, based on weight of numbers. Had the necessary animal welfare legislation been in place then Yole was a goner. Animal activists should now focus their attention on ensuring the Tasmanian Government updates, amend or introduces acceptable standards through parliament and undertakes periodic reviews of it. In Victoria, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, under which I was once authorized as a General Inspector, has been revised over the past couple of years. Racing authorities have delegations and obligations to ensure compliance with the Act. Not so in the far-flung reaches of Tassie, which continues to lag behind other states and present-day expectations.