Madam Deputy Speaker, I want to acknowledge that we are speaking to this bill in our role as the voice for animals in Tasmania and as the voice for all Tasmanians who care about the welfare of animals.
Despite harness racer, Ben Yole, being the subject of the Murrihy investigation's findings of team driving, race fixing and animal neglect, and two subsequent bans by Tasracing, whose actions were upheld by the Supreme Court, Mr Yole was back racing on Sunday.
The decision to allow Ben Yole and other harness racing figures named in the Murrihy Report to return to the track will stun every animal loving Tasmanian.
Yole Stables’ domination of Tasmanian harness race meets in the last two months highlights the complete failure of Racing Minister Felix Ellis to deal with key findings from the Murrihy report.
After the 2015 parliamentary Greyhound Inquiry, the racing industry has been on notice to reform and build its social licence.
The skyrocketing cost for a new racetrack is not only a shocking waste of taxpayer funds on a cruel industry, but casts further doubt over the Hobart stadium
The interim report from the Murrihy investigation of harness racing in Tasmania highlights the failure of laws and regulations to protect the welfare of horses
Does the Office of Racing Integrity have a record of a complaint from Ms Ainscow relating to potential race-fixing?
Seventeen of the complaints were lodged with ORI before the ABC did the Government's job of investigating Ben Yole.
RTI documents reveal 19 complaints have been made to the Office of Racing Integrity about Tasmania's biggest harness racing trainer