Queensland’s racing watchdog will come under review next year, the state government has announced.
The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) is an independent statutory body accountable to the government and tasked with oversight of racing animals and participants in the state.
As well as being designed to ensure the success of the state’s lucrative racing industry it acts as an enforcer with the power to prevent and detect crime and uphold the rules of racing.
The QRIC was established after a 2015 commission of inquiry into the state’s greyhound industry headed by Alan MacSporran found that self-regulation had failed, and that there were tensions between Racing Queensland’s commercial interests and animal welfare and integrity interests.
Racing minister Grace Grace says the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission has been operating since 2016 and it’s now time for a review to ensure the body is delivering high integrity and animal welfare standards and will continue to do so into the future.
“The government is committed to supporting a safe, sustainable racing industry operating to the highest standards of animal welfare and integrity,” she said.
“In an ever-evolving industry, we want to ensure that QRIC continues to deliver for racing participants and we believe it’s timely that after seven years an independent review into its operations is undertaken to ensure it remains a best practice regulator.”
The review will consider:
- The QRIC’s powers and functions
- Training, communication and development programs
- Sustainability of the agency
- Cultural change and improved governance and decision making models
The review will be completed in the first quarter of 2024.
The appointment of an independent reviewer is close to being finalised, Ms Grace said.
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