Dr WOODRUFF – Minister, do you acknowledge that racing horses are sentient beings, just like greyhounds?
Ms HOWLETT – Honourable member, I thank you for your question. I am deeply invested, and have been for a long time, in the equine code. What I will say is that animal welfare is paramount to the industry moving forward. We’ve raised the bar, and the bar is set high. That’s why we’ve brought on the biggest reforms in decades.
Dr WOODRUFF – I want to talk about the funding that’s gone from Tasracing, and the announcement on 26 August 2025 about an extra $1 million to boost the breeding of racehorses through the Tasbred scheme. This is in the context that sales of Tasmanian racehorses have hit an all‑time low. This year, Tasmania put fewer horses up for sale because they expected that fewer would be sold.
The 2025 Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale catalogued 126 lots, down from 140 last year. They sold 83 horses, down from 93. It’s the lowest sale price in Tasmania in 12 years. At the same time, Tasracing still doesn’t have a retirement plan for horses. How does breeding more unsellable horses fix these issues when there’s clearly not enough homes for the current numbers of horses in Tasmania?
Ms HOWLETT – I don’t think it’s about breeding more unsellable horses. I think it’s about breeding better stock. One thing the funding deed will do is give certainty to the breeders, and the breeders are integral to our industry in both equine codes. We will continue to invest in the very important breeding sector. I acknowledge that the stock has been down, and the prices have been down at the yearling sales. That’s something that we will endeavour to work through, and that’s part of what this review will do.
We are totally committed to investing in the breeders ‑ they are the backbone of our industry ‑ and we have the best climate in Australia to breed incredible thoroughbreds and standardbreds for the racing industry. I’ll pass over to you, commissioner, but we’ll be continuing to invest in that very important sector.
Mr CARROLL – Through you, minister. You raise a very important question, and one that I pondered a lot before I took on this role as Tasmania’s Racing Integrity Commissioner.
Everything that we do in my office day‑to‑day goes to improve the standard of Tasmanian racing across the board, and animal welfare standards. I’ve been really pleased with the feedback that my office has received as a result of the work we’ve done in the first 11 months not only here, but on the mainland. What we’re seeing is a transition of confidence in Tasmanian racing across the board.
You’re right in what you say ‑ there has been a downturn in the number of sales that occurred and the prices that have been achieved through the sales. However, I’m confident that what we’ll see through the measures put in place, as far as the integrity reforms are concerned, across the board ‑ and that includes animal welfare ‑ we’ll see in upturn in relation to breeding and the sales that occur through Tasmanian racing.
Whilst we won’t see those figures for a period of time, the feedback I’ve had across all stakeholders is that we’ve seen significant improvements in the integrity and animal welfare standards across the board in Tasmania.
Dr WOODRUFF – Minister, back to the breeding of horses. Tasmania still doesn’t have a retirement plan for the hundreds of horses that leave the industry in Tasmania this year. There just aren’t enough homes for the 300 or more ex‑racehorses each year, some of which are chronically injured and mentally traumatised and eat a lot of food.
The figures in the annual report last year for thoroughbreds was 295, retired standardbreds, 188, 483 in all. Of those, 62 were euthanised. That is an incredibly high number. Tasracing has an extra $1 million or more into the Tasbred program to breed racehorses. At the very least, minister, shouldn’t an increase in breeding also be accompanied by an increase in funding to secure a safe retirement for every horse the industry needs?
Perhaps the racing commissioner could talk about – you’re smiling? You love this question, I can see, before I even ask it: whether the tracing and the traceability at the end of life is something that you’re looking into?
Ms HOWLETT – Absolutely. We’re certainly looking into traceability of the thoroughbred code and that’s through the Rules of Racing –
Dr WOODRUFF – Along with all the other work you’re doing.
Ms HOWLETT – Yes.
Mr CARROLL – As I said earlier, just in relation to the greyhound numbers, without being armed with all the information as to the reasons as to the deaths or euthanasia of those particular horses, it would be negligent of me to comment on those. What I can say is, as I said before, there’s significant investment being made into traceability across the board of all animals in Tasracing. We’ve seen significant increases and I compliment Tasracing on the increase in the number of animal welfare officers they’re putting on and the work that they’re doing.
The level of accountability now, not only on the racing industry but Tasracing, by the introduction of my office I think will ensure a level of confidence across the board within the Tasmanian racing industry and the public that all efforts are being made to make sure that, effectively, homing programs are introduced and put in place, but also that all horses are given the opportunity to maintain a thorough life post racing career.
Dr WOODRUFF – Minister, on a related matter of animal welfare, we have a court ruling determining that the whipping of a horse with a padded racing whip was an act of cruelty which inflicted pain and suffering on the horse. Will you now take action to amend the local rules of racing, accordingly, and ban the use of whips in training and racing?
Ms HOWLETT – No, I won’t be doing that. That rule comes under the Australian Rules of Racing and that’s a matter for Tasracing to comply with those rules under the Australian rules that govern and conduct races for the thoroughbred and harness codes, including the use of whips. That’s not a matter for me. That is that is a matter that falls under the Australian Rules of Racing.
Dr WOODRUFF – Can we not make local rules?
Ms HOWLETT – No, I believe that the rules are nationally –
Mr CARROLL – Through you, minister. Tasracing can make local rules. That would be a question for Tasracing to determine whether they are going to introduce that local rule or not. I’d be surprised, as Racing Integrity Commissioner, if the minister actually put a proposal forward to Tasracing to introduce a local rule. That clearly is a decision for Tasracing and one that falls in their jurisdiction.
Dr WOODRUFF – Thanks, Sean, I’ll ask it next week.
