Tassie racing integrity body dumped after Murrihy Report’s scathing criticism

Tasmania’s beleaguered Office Of Racing Integrity will be abolished by the state government after a commissioned report by Ray Murrihy found a lack of independence had diminished the racing industry’s faith in the body.

The Murrihy Report, prompted by accusations of race fixing and animal cruelty in Tasmania’s harness racing industry, was finally released on Wednesday having been initially provided to the government in November.

Racing Minister Felix Ellis described the release of the report as a dark day for the Tasmanian industry.

“The Report clearly demonstrates a regulator that has serious issues relating to complaints handling, a lack of policies and procedures, lack of leadership, accountability and transparency,” he said.

Ellis said it was clear that ORI has failed in its duties and major revamp of the integrity framework, as suggested in the Monteith Report in 2021, was required.  

“This is not good enough by anyone’s standards and demonstrates what can happen when a regulatory model fails. We cannot walk past the findings in this report – we won’t walk past it, and we are taking action,” Ellis said.

“The Tasmanian government will abolish the Office of Racing Integrity and overhaul the whole system.”

Ellis said the Jeremy Rockliff-led government would seek to establish a Tasmanian Racing Industry Commissioner through an integrity bill introduced to parliament. He described the new position as being “a tough new cop on the beat who will have powers to set integrity and welfare standards”.

“The Tasmanian Government will abolish the Office of Racing Integrity and overhaul the whole system.”

ORI has lurched from crisis to crisis in recent years, with reports that two thirds of staff at the state’s racing watchdog have left the organisation since the start of 2021.

The latest development saw the newly appointed racing integrity manager, Ash Rushton, the eighth person to fill that role in seven years, resign on Boxing Day, the day he was due to commence the role.

Dysfunction rules – Tassie integrity boss quits on day he was due to start

Tasmanian racing is lurching from one crisis to the next as the state’s recently appointed integrity manager walked out during his first day on the job.

The StraightBren O’Brien

Ellis also announced that there will also be measures and funding put forward to increase competition in the state’s harness industry, with a specialist stewards’ panel to review those specific races where Murrihy said there was substantial integrity concerns.  

“The Report makes findings that individuals within the industry have engaged in team driving, race-fixing and animal abuse,” the minister said.

“All races referred to in the Murrihy Report, including an additional 15 races, will be scrutinised by the new stewards’ panel. The panel will also consider matters relating to the administration of injections and medications.”

“Animal welfare matters, including allegations of mistreatment of horses, have been referred to the RSPCA and Biosecurity Tasmania for investigation.”

The Murrihy Report was prompted by an ABC news investigation last year which raised allegations of race-fixing surrounding leading harness trainer Ben Yole.

Subsequent reporting raised significant concerns about the way ORI handled complaints related to that case as well as those in the greyhound and thoroughbred industry.

Opposition racing spokesman Dean Winter said the Murrihy Report “paints a scathing picture of years of failure and non-existent Ministerial oversight, outlining massive corruption, race fixing and animal welfare breaches, which should horrify every Tasmanian.”

But he said the government needs to take further action.

“Minister Ellis’ only new announcement today is that he is commissioning an independent panel to review his independent expert.  There is no one more qualified or more respected that Ray Murrihy in racing. There is more than enough evidence to stand Ben Yole down,” Winter said.

“For Mr Ellis to say today that was shocked by the Murrihy report shows just how hopeless and pathetic these Ministers have been. The entire industry has known this has been going on for years – except seemingly Ministers (Madeleine) Ogilvie and Ellis.”

Winter said it was impossible for the status quo to continue.

 “The findings of abuse of horses, race fixing and team driving are incredibly serious.  And we still don’t know what has happened with the allegations of sexual harassment, wage theft and tax evasion,” he said.

“It is a disgrace that Mr Yole has been allowed to race for the past two months and if he is allowed to field runners on the weekend, Tasmanian racing will be a national joke.”

Read the full Murrihy Report here.