‘Deeply concerned’ - Major industry players call for Racing Minister to fast-track NSW review

A group of 27 industry stakeholders “deeply concerned about the future of horse racing in NSW” have written to Racing Minister David Harris asking him to expedite a review into the Thoroughbred Racing Act.

The Straight understands that the signatories of the letter, which was sent to Harris on April 14, include leading trainers Chris Waller and Gai Waterhouse and prominent breeding and bloodstock figures such as Vin Cox, Harry and Arthur Mitchell and Antony Thompson as well as former ATC board member Julia Ritchie.

The letter was published on the digital platform of the Save Rosehill group on Tuesday.

The concerns include that Racing NSW is not subject to the direction and control of the Minister for the purpose of accountability to the Parliament, and that the regulator is not currently subject to audit by the Auditor General.

It said that the Rosehill parliamentary Inquiry held last year had revealed an erosion of trust in the governance structures currently in place and a growing divide between the controlling body and those it exists to represent and serve.

“The government’s support for a review of the Act represents a crucial opportunity to strengthen the integrity of the industry. However, the success of this process hinges on it being genuinely independent, free from interference, and led by a credible, neutral figure who holds public trust,” it read.

“This is not about politics or personalities. It is about the long-term integrity and sustainability of one of NSW’s most culturally and economically significant industries to give the industry a fair and proper review process.”

The signatories urged the minister to publicly commit to ensuring the review of the Racing Act is fully independent.

They also want the appointment of a reviewer who is genuinely independent, possesses a good understanding of the racing industry, and has proven expertise in governance and public interest matters.

The process should also determine a clear timeline and terms of reference for the review that is developed transparently and in consultation with all key industry stakeholders, they said.

“The future of racing cannot be built on fractured trust, opaque decision-making, or resistance to scrutiny. We believe in the power of this industry to evolve and thrive – but only if the structures that govern it are reset with integrity, transparency, and fairness,” the letter said.

“We all look forward to making constructive submissions to be considered as part of the review.”

In response to the Rosehill inquiry, the Minns government committed to a review of the Thoroughbred Racing Act, which governs the administration of thoroughbred racing in NSW. The timeframe for this has not been confirmed by Harris.

The existence of the letter was first publicised in an article published in the Australian Financial Review on Tuesday morning.

In that story, a spokesman for Racing NSW said the contents of the letter were being driven by those opposed to the sale of Rosehill and were described as “beat-ups and exaggerations”.

The full letter:

Letter to the NSW Racing Minister

Monday, April 14, 2025The Hon. David Harris MP Minister for Gaming and Racing NSW Parliament 6 Macquarie Street Sydney, NSW 2000

Dear Minister Harris,

We write to you as a united group of key stakeholders in the thoroughbred racing industry deeply concerned about the future of horse racing in New South Wales.

We thank the Government for its ongoing commitment to best practice in legislative review and your ‘in principle’ support for a review of the Thoroughbred Racing Act 1996. We request that the Government now expedite such a review. A review is timely given that the regulator, Racing NSW, is not subject to the direction and control of the Minister for the purposes of accountability to the Parliament. Nor is the regulator subject to audit by the Auditor General, as suggested by the Thoroughbred Racing Amendment Bill (2023) passed by the Legislative Council on 30 November 2023.

The recent Parliamentary Inquiry into the Proposal to Sell Rosehill Racecourse unearthed systemic issues that go far beyond a single decision about the ATC’s primary asset.

The Inquiry revealed:

• An erosion of trust in the governance structures currently in place

• A growing divide between the controlling body and those it exists to represent and serve.

The Government’s support for a review of the Act represents a crucial opportunity to strengthen the integrity of the industry. However, the success of this process hinges on it being genuinely independent, free from interference, and led by a credible, neutral figure who holds public trust.

This is not about politics or personalities. It is about the long-term integrity and sustainability of one of NSW’s most culturally and economically significant industries to give the industry a fair and proper review process.

We are calling on you, as Minister, to:

1. Publicly commit to ensuring the review of the Racing Act is fully independent.

2. Appoint a reviewer who is genuinely independent, possesses a good understanding of the racing industry, and has proven expertise in governance and public interest matters.

3. Provide a clear timeline and terms of reference for the review that are developed transparently and in consultation with all key industry stakeholders.

Yours sincerely,

27 concerned senior industry stakeholders