Media release – Madeleine Ogilvie, Minister for Racing, 29 March 2023

Independent expert for racing review announced

The Rockliff Liberal Government remains absolutely committed to upholding the integrity of Tasmania’s racing industry.

We take all allegations of integrity and animal welfare very seriously.

After announcing an independent review on Monday, Minister for Racing, Madeleine Ogilvie, has today announced the independent investigator who will undertake the review.

“I am pleased to announce that the highly regarded racing and national integrity expert, Ray Murrihy, has been appointed as an independent expert to undertake the review,” Minister Ogilvie said.

“Mr Murrihy has a long and distinguished career providing independent expert integrity advice services to governments, sporting codes and law enforcement bodies.”

As a previous Chairman of the National Chairman of Stewards Group, an advisory sub-committee to Racing Australia on integrity and safety matters, Mr Murrihy is suitably qualified to lead this important review.

“Mr Murrihy’s experience includes working as the Manager of Integrity for Racing NSW,” Minister Ogilvie said.

“He has a comprehensive understanding of the Tasmanian racing industry and also has undertaken specific integrity investigations in Tasmania.”

Mr Murrihy will also provide advice and assist government to finalise the Terms of Reference for the review, which will be released as soon as possible.

Media release – Cassy O’Connor MP, Greens Leader, 29 March 2023

Racing Allegations, Animal Welfare Concerns Dismissed By Ogilvie

In yet another embarrassing display in Question Time this morning, Minister Ogilvie floundered over more serious questions about racing integrity and animal welfare in the industry.

The Greens asked the disinterested Racing Minister about the well-known mateship between key industrial harness and greyhound trainers. We know neglected horses, who have reached their use by date, are sent on to be killed, butchered and fed to brutalised dogs.

This is the Tasmanian racing circle of death.

We presented photos to Parliament of ex-harness racing horses being led to their death, of strung up carcasses, of butchered bodies and entrails at a major Tasmanian greyhound trainer’s property.

This is the brutality of an industry, that somehow-still-Minister Ogilvie claims has “never been in better shape”.

The stink that surrounds racing industry oversight and this Minister grows by the day. Serious allegations raised in Parliament mount, and Madeleine Ogilvie’s role – or vacated Ministerial space – are at the centre.

Both Madeleine Ogilvie and the Office of Racing Integrity have lost the confidence of industry participants, animal welfare advocates, the Greens, the Labor opposition and the crossbench.

How bad does it have to get before Jeremy Rockliff sacks his useless Racing Minister?

Editor’s note: We wholeheartedly hope the minister is distinterested. Presumably the Greens mean uninterested.

Media release – Dean Winter MP, Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly, Shadow Minister for Racing, 29 March 2023

Rockliff abandons embattled Ogilvie

Premier Rockliff inched closer to sacking Madeline Ogilvie today after an appalling performance in question time.

Minister Ogilvie twice refused to answer serious allegations regarding her exposing whistleblowers to retribution by the Office of Racing Integrity (ORI).

And, tellingly, neither the Premier Jeremy Rockliff nor any of his other Ministers defended Ms Ogilvie’s performance.

In September last year, serious allegations of race fixing and complaints about the Director of Racing—including allegations of intimidating behaviour—were raised directly with Ms Ogilvie, in writing.

In her response, four months later, she revealed she had passed the complaint, including the identity of the people making the complaints, to the Director of Racing himself for assessment.

Serious allegations have been made about industry whistleblowers facing retribution after making complaints to the Office of Racing Integrity.

Yet the head of the Office of Racing Integrity remains in the position, presumably working on his own terms of reference.

The Rockliff Government has a shocking record when it comes to the treatment of whistleblowers.

The Minister failed to explain her own actions today whereby she’s disclosed the identity of brave people who’ve spoken out about serious integrity issues in Tasmanian harness racing, exposing them to retribution.

Instead she used the question as an opportunity to make an announcement.

She also refused to answer why the Director of Racing Justin Helmich, a former Liberal staffer, won’t be stood down while the inquiry into the Office of Racing Integrity occurs.

She should resign in shame or Mr Rockliff should grow a spine, show some leadership and sack her.

Murrihy repeat groundhog day for harness racing

It’s groundhog day for Tasmanian harness racing, with Ray Murrihy being called in to investigate revelations about team-racing, irregular betting and animal welfare – again.

Mr Murrihy was last called in in 2018 to head an inquiry into harness betting activities, which included investigating Ben Yole.

This week’s revelations are clear proof that this inquiry didn’t influence any meaningful long-term change and that this government is incapable of making basic changes to improve integrity.

It’s often said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Murrihy’s appointment proves that Minister Ogilvie’s latest inquiry is more about deflecting criticism of her conduct than actually fixing the serious issues she has helped to create.

She only acted on serious integrity issues when they were highlighted in the media.

Without the media attention these issues would have continued on her watch.

If the Minister and the Government were serious about changing the racing industry, they wouldn’t be rolling out the same tricks to try and fix problems which have existed for years under their mismanagement and neglect.