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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
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Motions

Jumps Racing

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. L.W.K. Bignell:

That this house establish a select committee to inquire into and report on jumps racing in South Australia, and in particular:

(a) whether or not it should be banned; and

(b) any related matters.

(Continued from 4 June 2015).

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (12:18): I rise today to speak on the Minister for Racing's motion and to put forward an amendment. I move to amend the motion as follows:

Delete the wording in paragraph (a) and replace it with 'the future of jumps racing in South Australia;'

The amended motion would read:

That this house establish a select committee to inquire into and report on jumps racing in South Australia, and in particular:

(a) the future of jumps racing in South Australia; and

(b) any related matters.

The Minister for Racing has been critical of the opposition's stance on formulating this committee in the lower house, but what we are concerned about is using the word 'banned' and whether it already suggests the committee will be looking at a narrowed scope.

I would like to address a few points made in the minister's speech when he introduced this motion. The minister said that using the word 'banned' in the terms of reference was just a question: 'Should it be banned? The answer could be yes or no.' He said it did not reflect any bias towards a ban on jumps racing, so why is the question for the committee not based around what the future direction of jumps racing is instead of whether or not it should be banned? By adding that word 'banned' it appears that there is certainly a predetermined angle.

My view on the future of jumps racing here in South Australia has been clearly set on the record. The opposition is supportive of the jumps racing industry continuing and it is a large employer and economic generator. Obviously the continued need to ensure animal welfare is adhered to at the highest standard is very important. I have decided not to nominate for the select committee and the Minister for Racing has not nominated himself. As the shadow minister for racing, I have decided to take the same approach. Both the minister and I have expressed our views on the matter on the record.

It is still extremely disappointing that the minister chose to revoke the motion in the Legislative Council to look at the future of the jumps racing industry in South Australia and turned it into a lower house only committee. What should have been a joint parliamentary committee into the jumps racing industry is no longer, and it does not represent a cross-section of parliament. In saying that, I support the select committee to hear from witnesses and put the facts on the table.

To reiterate, the jumps racing industry has a long and proud history in South Australia, with animal welfare of paramount importance. South Australia's two best attended race days of the year are at the iconic Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival which attracts more than 60,000 people and the regional jumps racing at Gawler, Mount Gambier and Murray Bridge. Those meets make important contributions to local economies as well as the jumps races at Morphettville. I would like to read a few excerpts from a recent post to the minister's Facebook page, as follows:

Leon, I have just read an article in the Advertiser today, please consider us within the industry when deciding on the future of our sport. This is Isaiah (Scooby), he is my horse. He is trained at Morphettville by Darren Egan. I love this horse more than you could imagine. He is a jumper, he does not try on the flat, but put a jump in front of him and he's a different horse, he loves it. His ears go up, his eyes gleam, this is what he loves.

We don't force our horses to jump, they either enjoy it or they don't. If they don't like jumping we don't jump them simple. If you were to ban jumps racing, we will have to retire and rehome Scooby, if we're lucky we will find him an eventing home where he is still jumping and enjoying life. If not he will go to the paddock and live life out doing nothing. We never send our horses to the knackery, we have a 100% strike rate on rehoming our off the track thoroughbreds.

Please don't let a minority group that would have you believe we are a money hungry uncaring lot blur your judgement, the ban jumps racing people contort their figures to make jumps racing seem horrible. Please also listen to those of us in SA who have jumps horses you can't make a decision on something like this without getting to know the people/horses within the sport.

That is just one of many posts that have been put up with the concerns that the minister has this blurred vision, a lopsided view, on the future of jumps racing here in South Australia.

If you speak to people in the jumps racing industry, you would know that their horses are treated with the utmost care. The horses are not forced to jump, so South Australia cannot afford to give in to extreme animal activists. The odd accident does occur, yes, as in any sport, but horses die in the paddock, they die from colic, they die giving foal, they die jumping fences without a rider even being on them, so I think we need to look at the bigger picture. Animals die from natural causes and sadly sometimes it has occurred in jumps racing.

Let's be very clear about this. It is a competitive sport. As in any competitive sport, we have injuries and I think that is just the nature of that sport. There is some concern within the industry that recent comments proposing to phase out jumps racing at metropolitan tracks have not provided any confidence in the industry.

How can local trainers reasonably be expected to invest time, money and resources into building up a stable of jumpers? What incentive is there for jumps racing owners and trainers, knowing that they may never have the opportunity to race on the state's leading racecourse? Even without the establishment of a committee to look at the future of jumps racing, the Minister for Racing's personal position and comments throughout the media are having adverse impacts on not only the jumps racing industry but all of the horse racing industry.

I have been to many dinners and I have been to a number of horse racing events. I have met many trainers, jockeys and industry people and they are all very concerned about the ongoing damage of the minister's comments on radio and that his attitude towards the industry is having a detrimental effect overall on the horse racing industry. What one would think is that the racing minister would have the welfare of the sport at heart, but he seems intent on seeing it slipping south and is, obviously, preferencing its demise.

Jumps racing is clearly not a thing of a bygone era, given the popularity of the sport right across the globe, if we look at events in America, Japan, New Zealand, Ireland and England. In England, for example, the three-day Grand National Steeplechase and the racing carnival at Aintree draws 150,000 attendees, 600 million viewers and is worth an estimated £10 million to the local Liverpool economy. This is an example of what this industry is giving to local communities, particularly regional communities.

I do not think anyone would begrudge the strategy at Morphettville to phase out jumps racing, but I think race meetings at regional tracks deserve to have the right to have jumps racing events at their tracks and support the economy, support the racing industry and support the people who do love that majestic sport of jumps racing. Imagine if we used South Australia's jumps racing history (dating back to 1846) to attract 150,000 international and Australian visitors to jumps racing events from Mount Gambier to Oakbank, Adelaide to Gawler, each year. There would be flow-on effects to the community. Oakbank already generates $12 million and that is one event alone, with no government support. Deputy Speaker, I have moved an amendment and support the select committee on the jumps racing industry.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: We are just asking about your amendment, member for Chaffey, have you an amendment for the table?

Mr WHETSTONE: Yes, I will get that.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: That would be good. Member for Flinders.

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (12:27): Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I rise today to make a contribution on the select committee on jumps racing. It is listed under the orders of the day as:

That this house establish a select committee to inquire into and report on jumps racing in South Australia, and in particular:

(a) whether or not it should be banned; and

(b) any related matters.

The member for Chaffey, the shadow minister responsible on this side of the house for racing, has moved an amendment to that original motion.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Which we are waiting to see.

Mr TRELOAR: I would like to support that amendment.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Have you seen it?

Mr TRELOAR: I have. I am looking at it right now, Deputy Speaker.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Good.

Mr TRELOAR: The amendment is that the words in (a) be replaced with ‘the future direction of the industry’.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: We do need to insist that the house has a copy of this amendment while we are discussing it.

Mr TRELOAR: —I support the amendment because there seems to me to be an assumed or inherent premise in the original motion and we should remove that premise and hear all the evidence. We are supporting the committee but the committee should hear all of the evidence and report on that evidence. Sadly, this smacks of the nanny state that we talk so often about. Unfortunately, in South Australia we are rapidly moving towards a point where everything in this state will either be prohibited or compulsory, and the motion smacks of that.

The shadow minister has talked at great length about the importance of jumps racing to South Australia and to all the people who are involved in the industry and in the sport. Jumps racing is a sport and sport is not without inherent risks, and the shadow minister has acknowledged that. Sadly, occasionally there are mortalities, not just in jumps racing but also in horseracing generally. However, percentage-wise, mortalities are quite low and it has always been regarded as acceptable. There are risks in everything we do. There are risks in trail bike riding and there are risks in waterskiing—and the member for Chaffey has done a lot of that in his time. We recognise the risks, but we also need to be able to manage them and recognise that jumps racing is an important part of our culture and the economy.

Jumps racing is not a big sport but, having said that, there are a number of people who are involved with it. Oakbank has been highlighted as a significant contributor to the local economy, generating something between $11 million and $13 million annually over the Easter racing carnival. The average attendance at Oakbank over the last three years is around 68,000 people. Unfortunately, comparing that with regular racing, we have been struggling to get an average of about 8,500 people to the Adelaide Cup, so there is no doubt as to its popularity.

There are also jumps events in the country, at Clare and places like that, where it proves to be a significant social event and an important fundraiser for the local community. I commend the shadow minister (the member for Chaffey) on the work he has done on this and I am supporting his amendment. As a parliament, I think we need to show confidence and support the sports that are successful in this state. I believe the original motion sends altogether the wrong message not just to the people involved in jumps racing but to sport generally.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: We are unable to call another speaker until we have a copy of the amendment. We now have a copy of the amendment, so who would like to speak next?

The Hon. P. CAICA: Point of order: I have the utmost faith in the member for Chaffey, but he spoke about what the amendment was and subsequently it was written out. For my benefit, I would like it to be confirmed that what he has written is the same as what he stated earlier.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Would you like me to read it? The amendment in the name of the member for Chaffey is as follows:

That this house establish a select committee to inquire into and report on jumps racing South Australia, and in particular:

(a) the future of jumps racing in South Australia; and

(b) any related matter.

It is an amendment to paragraph (a). Are members clear on that now?

The Hon. P. CAICA: Thank you.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. The member for Morphett.

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (12:33): Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I rise to support the amended motion as put by the member for Chaffey. Can I just say that my name has been mentioned as being a member of this select committee, and I would be very pleased to be on this select committee if that is the will of the house.

As people know, before I came into this place I was a veterinary surgeon in practice. I still am a veterinarian but not in practice anymore. I spent many years working in racehorse practice and dealing with show jumpers and eventers, so I have been heavily involved in horse sports and seeing the very best and, unfortunately, very occasionally the very worst when things do go wrong.

You will get the anthropomorphic animal libbers out there trying to say, 'Horses don't like to jump. This is dangerous. We flog them.' That is not right. That is completely wrong. I would encourage everybody in this place and everybody who reads this to go onto YouTube and look up Wilton's Wonder Horses. It is an 11-minute video of dear old Mr Wilton and his horses working at liberty.

These horses, in most cases, have no halter, no bridle—there is absolutely nothing on them. Just watch Wilton's Wonder Horses and tell me that horses do not enjoy jumping, do not enjoy galloping around arenas and going over not only show jumps but other sorts of hurdles, including in the case of Wilton's Wonder Horses, motor vehicles and other obstacles.

There is no doubt that horses galloping at speed will occasionally wrong foot, will trip, will go down in a hole and will fall over, and because you have 400 to 500 kilos of horse moving at 50 to 60 km/h, the energy that is involved there can cause some very serious injuries. In many cases, though, the horses and the jockeys are able to absorb that impact and come away from that unscathed.

The numbers of horses that are injured where they have to be euthanased is very small. Some people say one is too many, but can I say that in my many years of experience as a veterinary surgeon I have had the unfortunate job of having to put down horses that have been galloping around the paddock, in the flats, just by themselves—the 5 o'clock gallop around, or the 5 o'clock roundup we sometimes call it. Many animals do it; why I do not know, but horses do it. At about 5 o'clock out in the paddock you will see them running around the place.

Again, because you have 500 kilos of horse flesh galloping around at speed, they slip, they fall over and they break things; and, unfortunately, no foot, no horse. A fracture in a horse, unfortunately, is inevitably a fatal event. The bottom line, though, with this jumps racing is that, while it has for many years been a huge part of every racing carnival, event and any program around the country it is getting less and less, and in South Australia there are very few South Australian horses competing in jumps racing.

I can say that 99.9 per cent of the prize money at any jumps race in South Australia goes interstate, and that alone, in my opinion, is enough to see the future of jumps racing in South Australia looking very glum. I enjoy watching horses go over jumps. I have show jumped at an event myself. I did unfortunately have an incident with one of my horses that severely strained its suspensory ligaments; and despite intensive care on my behalf—you cannot cure them all—I ended up having to euthanase that horse. So, this has come very close to home.

That horse loved to jump. It did not need to be flogged to get over the jumps, it did not need to be coerced. You had to hold the horse back when you were going around particularly show jumps because you knew that the spacing of the jumps had to be timed so that you did not knock rails out. There was no danger to the horse, just a danger to your own pride because you were not able to complete a clear round.

The need to examine this is something that is quite fair and proper for this parliament to do, and so I would be more than happy to serve on the committee with no predetermined outcome. If the evidence that comes before me discloses that my opinion and my attitude is out of step with public mores—and the hazards of modern jumps racing is different from what I remember and from what I see when I have looked at the hurdles that they use nowadays, they are quite different—if it is different, I am open to listen to people. Only dead men and fools never change their mind. What I will be doing is making sure we take the evidence, listen to the evidence and form an opinion which is an informed opinion, not an anthropomorphic view of animals' rights, animal liberation views.

Animals are very special creatures, and being a veterinarian I think there is nobody in this place who is better qualified to say that they are just the most wonderful part of everybody's lives—whether it is the new pup that my grandkids have just bought, whether it is a child's pony or whether it is trainers and their horses that they have in their stables. On the point of trainers and their horses, trainers and those who work in racing stables love those horses. They love those horses.

You will find that it would be very unusual, a very rare exception, to find any mistreatment or poor treatment of racehorses. It is a big business. The racing industry is a massive business in South Australia—massive—with employers, breeders, owners, trainers and spectators, although it is not what it used to be. Mind you, when Black Caviar was racing at Morphettville I was very lucky to be there on two occasions, and it was just like back in the early days with the bookie's ring completely packed out. The stands were packed out; it was an amazing experience. I would like to get back to that. I personally do not think that jumps racing will be part of that because of the fact that there are fewer horses jumping now, particularly in South Australia. I think that the prize money is going interstate and that is enough to see that there is not a bright future. If we could change that, well, let us look at the options and the interest that is there.

This parliament needs to recognise that the racing industry in South Australia is a huge employer, a huge industry, and so we need to make sure that the whole issue is given a fair hearing with no predetermined outcomes and no prejudgement. The terms of reference for the committee are open enough, and as we have in every committee, there is always that omnibus term of reference, I suppose you would call it—any related matter. So, we will be able to look at those other related matters.

I do not think the committee will need to travel to Aintree in England to see the Grand National, but I am willing to go there if the house wants me to do that. If I was to be away for a while I would miss the place, but perhaps even go to the US to compare and contrast some of the jumps races that are held there—I am being facetious for those who might read this. Jumps racing in South Australia is an area that needs to be examined and given the opportunity to be shown to be a part of the future of racing in South Australia or otherwise. With that, I look forward to being on the committee if the house gives me that privilege.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:43): This motion, as presented, states:

That this house establish a select committee to inquire into and report on jumps racing in South Australia, and in particular:

(a) whether or not it should be banned; and

(b) any related matters.

I would like to speak in favour of the amendment of the member for Chaffey which reads:

That this house establish a select committee to inquire into and report on jumps racing in South Australia and in particular:

(a) the future of jumps racing in South Australia; and

(b) any related matters.

I think that is a far better and a more well-rounded approach to looking at any issue in this place. To put up a select committee with the pretence of whether or not it should be banned, I think is getting more than one step ahead of yourself. I think that you need to go into any select or standing committee with open eyes and open views. Part of our job here in the parliament is to take all views on board. I know from my experience on different select and standing committees that that is exactly what people do right throughout this place, whether they are from one of the major parties, one of the minor parties or an Independent, and certainly in discussions about racing.

The fatality rate over the last 12 years for jumps racing averaged 0.64 per cent and 0.48 per cent for flat racing; so not a significant difference at all, particularly in regard to the fact that the figure for flat racing does not include trials or track work, whereas the figure for jumps racing does include trials. There has not been a fatality in racing since August 2012, but one horse was lost in a trial in that period. Thoroughbred Racing in South Australia has received correspondence from people critical of the sport, but we on this side of the place have certainly received online petitions, written petitions, letters and emails signed by a very large number South Australians who support the sport.

In terms of industry data, the last three jumping seasons at Morphettville had an increase of 60 per cent for starters and jumping trials. The total South Australian trained starters in trials increased by 109 per cent. Total starters in jumping races increased by 15.7 per cent between the 2013 and 2014 jumping season, and total South Australian trained starters increased by 49 per cent. The average starter numbers in jumps races in the 2014 season was 8.15 compared with flat events at 7.0 average field size in all listed events, 8.0 in all non-maiden two year olds, 8.2 benchmark, and 9.0 and 8.4 on three-year-old racing. It certainly shows that there has been plenty of interest in racehorses and jumps racing from people involved in the racing industry.

The total prize money won by South Australian trained horses in jumps races as a percentage has increased from 10 per cent in 2012 to 16.21 per cent in 2013 and 22.2 per cent in 2014. That again shows there has been a general increase in prize money. Prize money won by South Australian trained horses in group 1 flat races is 7 per cent.

The average attendance at Morphettville was 1,291 compared with 868 on days without a jumps racing event. Excluding Irish Day from the comparison, the average attendance on other days with a jumping event was 1,002. It is noted that Irish Day is the third or fourth best attended day for the South Australian Jockey Club—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

Mr PEDERICK: Yes—next to the Adelaide Cup and Melbourne Cup. Of the 10 best attended events in the winter season, six had a jumping event on the day. In regard to on-course turnover for those days with a jumps race, the average turnover for 2014 was $176,000 compared to $137,000 for those days that did not run a jumps race. The average off-course turnover for those days with a jumps race was $604,000 compared with $595,000 for those days without a jumps race. Therefore, in terms of turnover both on and off course, the industry will be disadvantaged if jumps racing ceases to exist. An additional 18 trainers were accredited in 2014 to train jumps horses.

Obviously, we are well aware of Oakbank over the Easter period. It is a huge contributor to the local economy which generates around $11 million to $13 million annually, and the average attendance over the last three years has been 68,000 people. It is a struggle, it seems, to get an average of 8,500 to the Adelaide Cup, so you can just see the difference there.

In regard to animal activists, they are targeting racing not simply in relation to jumps racing but in relation to issues like heat stress, the use of the whip, two-year-old racing and what they describe as 'wastage'. It is certainly something to note in this time of increased unemployment in this state and throughout the regions that the racing industry is a significant employer, employing in excess of 3,500 full-time equivalents.

I note that, certainly in my electorate, there are some jumps races held at Murray Bridge, and many people take advantage of going to the races on those days. As people can see and hear from my comments, the interest in jumps racing in the last few years has only increased, so I certainly think that we should not be going into this select committee with preconceived ideas as to whether or not jumps racing should be banned. I think we need to go in with an open view and be more cogent in what we are thinking here.

I think that, in looking at the future of jumps racing in South Australia, instead of having preconceived ideas as to whether it is to be banned or not, there is a much better way, and I hope that is where we go with this committee. I certainly believe that you will have witnesses coming to the committee who will think, 'Wow, here is an opportunity. We can really spruik up the issue around banning jumps racing without having that better overall view of the world in regard to racing.'

Certainly, as the member for Morphett indicated, horses can break their leg just running around a paddock. I heard news the other day that my father lost one of his best draught horses, Old Fuego. He was just struck by lightning, so he had no chance. Certainly, there are occasionally accidents, but things can happen to any animal running around a paddock. It certainly does happen to horses, and it is not a nice thing to witness at any time.

With those few words, I commend the amendment. I just want to see that we have a better overall view of the industry instead of going in with what the minister has, which is a very biased view. He is going into this committee looking—

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! We are trying to finish this one off, thank you.

Mr PEDERICK: He has put up this committee, and he has made many comments in the media that jumps racing should be banned. I certainly do not think that is the tack that a racing minister should be going down.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (12:53): I thank the members opposite for their contributions.

Amendment negatived; motion carried.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (12:53): I move:

That the select committee consist of the Hon. M.J. Atkinson, Ms Hildyard, Mr Hughes, Dr McFetridge and Mr Bell.

Motion carried.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: I move:

That the select committee have power to send for persons, papers and records and to adjourn from place to place and to report on 30 June 2016.

Motion carried.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: I move:

That standing order 339 be and remain so far suspended as to enable the select committee to authorise the disclosure or publication as it sees fit of any evidence presented to the committee prior to such evidence being reported to the house.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have counted the house and, as an absolute majority of the whole number of members is not present, ring the bells.

An absolute majority of the whole number of members being present.

Motion carried.

Sitting suspended from 12:57 to 14:00.

Ms CHAPMAN: So this isn't a display?

The SPEAKER: I so rule.

Ms CHAPMAN: You so rule?

The SPEAKER: In the week of the SANFL grand final, since long before I became a member of parliament, it was customary for the members of the house who were supporters of one of the two teams in the grand final to wear their colours into the house.

Ms CHAPMAN: I thank you for your indicative ruling, Mr Speaker. I look forward to wearing my scarf.

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