Parliamentary Friends group puts country racing before MPs in Canberra

The Federal Parliamentary Friends of Thoroughbred Racing brought country participants and senior administrators to Parliament House this week for a reception focused on racing’s contribution to regional and rural communities.

Co-chairs Senator Anthony Chisholm and Dan Tehan MP joined representatives from across the political spectrum in the Speaker’s Courtyard. Jason Richardson hosted the eventm, which was held on Monday night.

The group sits within Parliament’s formally recognised non-country friendship-group framework. Its role is to provide a non-partisan forum for parliamentarians to meet thoroughbred industry representatives.

Speaker Milton Dick attended alongside Cameron Caldwell MP, Senator Raff Ciccone, Senator Carol Brown, Dan Repacholi MP, Senator Susan McDonald, Aaron Violi MP and Rick Wilson MP.

A country-racing panel included jockeys Harry Coffey and Holly Nottle, Mackay trainer John Manzelmann, Country Racing SA representative and Penola Racing Club deputy chair Justin Kane, Geelong Racing Club CEO Luke Rayner and Coonamble Jockey Club vice-president Michael Heaney.

The group discussed the economic and community contribution made by racing outside metropolitan centres.

That issue was central to the racing industry’s recent appearance to a Senate hearing into proposed changes to wagering advertising laws.

Racing Australia Chair Rob Rorrison and CEO Paul Eriksson attended, as did Racing Victoria Chair Tim Eddy and CEO Aaron Morrison. Racing NSW was represented by Chair Dr Saranne Cooke and interim CEO Graeme Hinton, while Racing Queensland CEO Lachlan Murray was also present.

Representatives of Racing SA, Racing and Wagering Western Australia, Country Racing Victoria and several country clubs also attended.

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Aushorse Chairman Antony Thompson, the principal of Widden Stud, represented the breeding sector with TBA and Aushorse CEO Andrew Hore-Lacy.