Thoroughbred Racing SA Appointments

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (14:56): My question is to the Minister for Racing. Can the minister assure the house that the appointment of Brett Dixon, chair of the Darwin Turf Club, is not a breach of the Thoroughbred Racing SA constitution?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:57): Yes, I can. Just to enlighten the member, Mr Dixon has been appointed, or he was endorsed to me through the advisory panel, and I did accept that endorsement, along with Cos Cardone and Rob Rorrison, all esteemed people in their own right and very passionate about racing, very passionate to put back into the industry. What we do know about the racing industry after 16 years under the previous government is that it was left in a very bad way. It had no support from the previous government, but we on this side—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —are very focused on growing jobs and growing the industry in South Australia. Again, the previous government gave the racing industry nothing over the 16 years that they were in power. But since we have come into government—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —we acknowledge our country racing and city racing, and we understand that there are jobs involved here. There is an industry involved here, and there is great opportunity for our state. We have invested almost $30 million into the racing industry since coming to government; and part of that is actually improving the governance of the racing codes, and we have done that.

As I said, the advisory panel has endorsed three very good members to go onto the board of the TRSA. Everyone I have spoken to in the racing industry says that these are great appointments, very positive appointments, to help industry grow and to help the industry prosper into the future. We will keep supporting industries that grow jobs in South Australia, and we will make no apologies for that.