Labor: Gag Order by Director of Racing Beggars Belief

Media release – Dean Winter MP, Shadow Minister for Racing, 30 March 2023

Industry gag order by Director of Racing beggar’s belief

The gag order by the Director of Racing, former Liberal staffer Justin Helmich, is unbelievable, and fits with the government’s culture of intimidation and threats.

We’ve heard all week from participants who are scared of reprisals for speaking out. The Director’s gag order is a message to participants to ‘shut up or else’.

How on earth has the Director of Racing not been stood down? If it’s not bad enough that he is still in the position after an independent review had to be initiated, now he’s dishing out gag orders to the whistle blowers who criticised him this week.

I believe this is the payback to BOTRA for its no confidence motion in him.

If Madeleine Ogilvie was even half competent she would have stood him down already. If Jeremy Rockliff wasn’t so compromised by his Minister’s threats to leave, he’d have sacked her.

No confidence passed in Director of Racing despite the industry “never being in better shape”

A new motion of no confidence in Director of Racing Justin Helmich is the latest damning indictment of the embattled Minister for Racing’s management of her portfolio, which she described only last week as never being in better shape.

The Tasmanian Harness Racing Breeders, Owners, Trainers and Reinspersons Association (BOTRA Tasmania) moved the motion at its meeting on 28 March saying the Director of Racing’s “performance, and his interview on ABC Radio are of great concern to members”. (letter available here)

Of particular concern was Helmich stating he and the Office of Racing Integrity had no knowledge of betting activity on the now infamous Race 9 on Burnie Cup day, despite a BOTRA committee member raising this issue directly with Mr Helmich and colleague Ross Neal.

The allegation is effectively that Mr Helmich, the man tasked with upholding racing integrity in Tasmania, lied.

BOTRA was also concerned about Helmich’s response to conflicts of interest on the stewarding panel, of which it alleges two of the three members are in a relationship and the other legally related to the acting chairman.

This week in parliament, Minister Ogilvie refused to answer why Mr Helmich, who is a former Liberal Government staffer, won’t be stood down while the inquiry into the Office of Racing Integrity occurs.

The Premier was asked that question again in Parliament today and refused to answer or explain why Mr Helmich won’t be stood down whilst the inquiry occurs.

Mr Helmich had no experience in Racing when he was appointed, and was handpicked having been a Ministerial advisor in this Liberal Government.

With the peak body for harness racing now passing no confidence in the Director of Racing, he should be stood down.

Just last week Madeleine Ogilvie said Tasmanian racing had “never been in better shape”.

Extraordinarily, she made that statement in full knowledge of the ABC’s allegations.

Jeremy Rockliff failed to act on racing integrity

A never-publicly-released report has revealed that Jeremy Rockliff failed to act on recommendations he was advised to conduct a full review of racing integrity arrangements in Tasmania as far back as 2014.

On 31 October 2014, then Racing Minister Rockliff received a report from the Tasmanian Racing Industry Working Group.

The report recommended that he fully review integrity arrangements in Tasmanian racing.

Today in Parliament, despite being given multiple opportunities, the Premier failed to admit he was advised to review integrity issues some 9 years ago.

Instead, he pointed to the weak defence that his government was making reforms now.

The same reforms which have made no progress since his incompetent Minister was appointed.

When Jeremy Rockliff became Premier he promised to lead a Government with integrity.

Every day this racing scandal goes on, this promise is proving to be further and further from the truth.