Jumps ban

I WRITE in response to the passing of the Animal Welfare (Jumps Racing) Amendment Bill, in particular the role of Racing SA in the passage of the Bill (The Courier, July 13).

In her final contribution to the Second Reading debate, deputy Premier Susan Close noted the “... numerous contacts I have had from people in the racing industry, including the board of Racing SA yesterday evening, going out of their way to thank me for creating certainty for the industry”.

It would therefore appear that Racing SA was actively involved in lobbying the government to kill off a sector of the industry it (allegedly) represents.

In so doing, it also would seem to have positioned itself in alignment with the Greens in its attitude to the welfare of horses in racing.

Racing participants should not only be greatly concerned that Racing SA used industry resources effectively to lobby against itself, but also about what its response will be to the next piece of legislation that will inevitably be proposed by the Greens and which opposes and damages racing.

Will Racing SA be in any sort of position, for instance, to object to a Bill that outlaws the whip in racing or bans two year racing?

Its ill-judged (albeit informal) alliance with the Greens will surely now make it more difficult for Racing SA to defend any part of the industry, despite its own constitution stating “... to encourage diversity and the broadest possible participation in all aspects and at all levels of the South Australian thoroughbred racing industry by the widest possible range of people”.

John Glatz OAM, Woodside