24-hour vet – Racing Victoria forced to backflip on Robertson-Smith decision
Racing Victoria will resume its search for a chief veterinary officer after an embarrassing oversight saw chief executive Aaron Morrison reverse a decision to appoint Hong Kong-based Dr Glenn Robertson-Smith when it was discovered he had been previously charged for threatening a racing official.
Racing Victoria has been forced into an embarrassing backdown, reversing its decision to appoint Dr Glenn Robertson-Smith as its next chief veterinary officer just 24 hours after his appointment was publicly announced.
It comes after incidents from 2018 were reported in the media, where Robertson-Smith was charged over threatening messages toward a former Melbourne Racing Club executive.
The incidents were first reported in the Herald-Sun in 2019, with racing publication Betsy confirming Robertson-Smith was charged and given a diversion order at the Melbourne Magistrates Court, in an article on Tuesday.
Racing Victoria chief executive Aaron Morrison intervened and said it had been decided that Robertson-Smith will not take up his role on August 10.
“Based on information confirmed today we have decided we won’t be proceeding with the appointment. Further, I have initiated a review of our internal processes to ensure that they are as rigorous as possible,” Morrison said in a statement.
RV says a decision on the appointment of another chief veterinary officer will be made in due course.
Robertson-Smith had been working as a vet in Hong Kong and had resigned from his role there to take up the RV opportunity.
The head veterinary role had been vacated by the departure of Dr Grace Forbes in December last year.
She had been in a prolonged dispute with the racing regulator, levelling bullying complaints through the Fair Work Commission against Racing Victoria chief executive Morrison and manager of people and performance Xavier Linton and executive general manager of integrity services Jamie Stier.
Dr Forbes had been on personal leave from her RV role since July, launching her legal action in October before it was settled out of court.
RV had undertaken a long recruitment process to identify a successor for Forbes, with Robertson-Smith announced on Monday alongside Dr Stephanie Chapman, who was appointed deputy chief veterinary officer.
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