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Other Parliamentary SpeechesThis page is dedicated to Peter's speeches during parliament that do not fall under Questions or Questions without notice. They range from debating legislation, reporting on events or issues in his seat of Southport and his Ministerial Statements.
Racing industry |
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| Posted by Administrator (admin) on May 14 2003 |
| Other Speeches >> |
Mr LAWLOR (Southport-ALP) (6.49 p.m.): I rise to support the amendment to the motion. The original motion again demonstrates the hypocrisy of the opposition on the question of the racing industry. For too long Queensland racing was subject to the political influence of a small section of the industry and, as a result, stagnated and had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
Last year Peter Gleeson stated in the Gold Coast Bulletin-
Mrs Rose has launched a blitzkrieg on the crusty old clique which had for so many years controlled Queensland racing.
That says it all, but it seems that some members of the crusty old clique have got in the ears of opposition members-and there is plenty of room there-and hence the motion we have before us today.
Since the privatisation of the TAB this government has sought to remove government from the day-to-day operations of the racing industry and place a greater emphasis on its role in matters impacting upon the probity and integrity of racing and the need to protect the public interest. The government has no role in influencing nor could it or should it compel Queensland Racing to make decisions not related to probity and integrity. The allocation of race dates, prize money, field sizes, et cetera, are the responsibility of Queensland Racing, the independent control body, and that is as it should be.
The Australian Rules of Racing specifically prohibit any government appointee to a control body for the express purpose of preventing any government involvement or interference in the day-to-day racing decisions, and we have a good example of why that should be the case in that the member for Toowoomba South was involved in the transfer of the greyhound track, an asset of the industry, to the show society for nothing. That is why that provision is in place.
Mr HORAN: I rise to a point of order. I corrected the Racing Minister. There was no greyhound track in Toowoomba. As secretary of the club and as secretary of the show society, when we built a new showground-
Mr SPEAKER: Order! We do not need a debate on it.
Mr HORAN: We built a new-
Mr SPEAKER: Order! We have already heard that. We do not need a debate on it.
Mr HORAN: I ask for that incorrect statement, which I find offensive, to be withdrawn.
Mr LAWLOR: The industry generally over the years-
Mr HORAN: I asked him to withdraw, Mr Speaker. I ask that it be withdrawn, because it is incorrect. We built a new showground.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member has made his point. The member for Southport will withdraw.
Mr LAWLOR: I withdraw. It is just a shame that he is such a precious little thing.
Mr HORAN: I rise to a point of order. I ask for that statement to be withdrawn.
Mr LAWLOR: I withdraw. The industry generally over the years has sought independence from the government, and it now has that. The industry must now stand on its own two feet. Bob Bentley and the board of Queensland Racing have the experience, expertise and importantly the courage to make some tough decisions, and we have had evidence of that in the last few days. I know Steve Railton personally and I am sorry that his position has been abolished in the restructuring that has been proposed by Queensland Racing. There is no question about the integrity of Mr Railton, but it is estimated that the restructuring will save $2 million which will go into prize money. This is similar-
Mr Hobbs interjected.
Mr LAWLOR: Would the member for Warrego just sit down and be quiet. I would ask him to count to 10, but I know four is his personal best. So just count to four.
This is similar to the review of the Queensland thoroughbred investment scheme by Queensland Racing recently which resulted in an additional $600,000 in prize money for the racing industry. While on the subject of prize money, opposition members conveniently ignore the fact that it was when they were in government that they gave away the right to manage machines, and the income from that-which forms such a large part of both New South Wales and Victorian prize money-is lost to the industry forever.
Mr Hobbs interjected.
Mr LAWLOR: They have a hide like a crocodile-
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Warrego will cease interjecting.
Mr LAWLOR: They have a hide like a crocodile to move a motion demanding sufficient funds to ensure a viable future after they have given away income which would have exceeded $20 million per annum. It is not as if the coalition government was not warned. In a letter dated 21 February 1997 from the late Bob Templeton, a coalition appointee as chairman of the TAB, to Russell Cooper, the then Minister for Racing, he said-
The TAB has an opportunity to benefit from both Keno and gaming machine restructuring. A decision by the government to spread the gaming machine operating licence over a number of operators-TAB, Golden Casket, Jupiters and others-raises some interesting questions about delivering public assets to private entities without extracting full value.
Of course they went ahead anyway and delivered that public asset to the private entities without obtaining full value, and the racing industry is now paying for that. Another warning was given on 24 February 1997 by none other than Russell Cooper to the then Deputy Premier, Joan Sheldon. I table a copy of that letter, which refers to a feasibility study by Macquarie Bank and a letter from the TAB. He saw the danger of what the government proposed and said-
Mr HOBBS: I rise to a point of order. The point of order is: it was the Labor government which-
Mr SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order.
Mr LAWLOR: Mr Speaker-
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member's time has expired.
Time expired. Last changed: [PUBLISHED_DATE] at 12:00 AM
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