Calls to investigate how VIC racing body is spending money

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Thoroughbred trainers and animal welfare activists are demanding to know what's happened to the millions of dollars Racing Victoria sets aside each year to help find homes for retired racehorses. About 1800 racehorses exit the industry in Victoria every year, with 2 per cent of prize money, or about $5.5 million set aside to help re-home them. But those who re-train the horses say they're struggling to survive and want to know where the money's going.

Transcript

00:00Liz Andrischke has been retraining retired racehorses for a decade.

00:06How you doing mate?

00:07You're enjoying your breakfast aren't we?

00:08A few weeks ago she had a dozen thoroughbreds on her property in central Victoria, but now

00:14there's just one.

00:15Last man standing.

00:16Because she says the financial support isn't there to continue.

00:20In the end you've just got to decide how much money can you keep taking from your family

00:23when you've got young kids and you know all these mouths to feed, come on.

00:29Liz Andrischke doesn't receive funding from Racing Victoria, but the ABC understands six

00:34stables have closed their doors recently or stopped taking in racehorses due to a lack

00:39of financial support.

00:41They won't speak publicly, but have told the ABC they're getting just $100 per month per

00:46horse.

00:48That's despite the industry pledging 2% of its prize money, or more than $5 million a

00:53year on equine welfare.

00:55That's the $5 million question isn't it, where does the 2% go?

00:59And how does it actually help?

01:00There's no accountability on how this money's being spent.

01:04Once the ABC started making inquiries, Racing Victoria sent an email to its members to address

01:10what it said are common misconceptions about the 2% funding, and announced it would give

01:15retrainers an extra $50 a month to help cover costs.

01:20The email said it was ultimately up to racehorse owners to transition their horses to a suitable

01:25home upon their retirement from racing.

01:28And that due to cost of living pressures, demand for retired horses is slowing and they're

01:33taking longer to rehome.

01:35But animal rights activists say that's Racing Victoria's job.

01:39It's incumbent on the racing industry here in Victoria to find homes for them and rehabilitate

01:44them.

01:45The Racing Integrity Commissioner declined to comment on whether it is investigating

01:49where the money set aside for horse welfare is going.

01:52Racing Victoria said it wouldn't be making any further public comment at this time.

01:58For more information visit www.racingvictoria.com

Category

Transcript

Comments

Recommended