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Messara Report link plus 17 key recommendations


hesi

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https://www.dia.govt.nz/vwluResources/Racing-Report-August-2018/%24file/Review-of-the-NZ-Racing-Industry-Report.pdf

 

Recommendations

  1. Change the governance structure, so the NZRB becomes Wagering NZ with racing responsibilities devolving to the individual Codes. This will sharpen the commercial focus of TAB operations and improve the decision-making and accountability of the Codes.

  2. Establish Racing NZ as a consultative forum for the three Codes to agree on issues such as entering into commercial agreements with Wagering NZ, approving betting rules and budgets for the integrity bodies, equine health & research, etc.

  3. Change the composition and qualifications for directors of regulatory bodies.

  4. Request that a Performance and Efficiency Audit of the NZRB be initiated under section 14 of the Racing Act 2003, with particular emphasis on the operating costs of the NZRB.

  5. Amend the Section 16 distribution formula of the Racing Act 2003 to a more equitable basis for fixed 10-year terms.

  6. Initiate a special review of the structure and efficacy of the RIU and allied integrity bodies, to be conducted by an independent qualified person.

  7. Begin negotiations for the outsourcing of the TAB’s commercial activities to an international wagering operator, to gain the significant advantages of scale.

  8. Seek approval for a suite of new wagering products to increase funding for the industry.

  9. Confirm the assignment of Intellectual Property (IP) by the Clubs to the Codes.

  10. Introduce Race Field and Point Of Consumption Tax legislation expeditiously. These two measures will bring New Zealand’s racing industry into line with its Australian counterparts and provide much needed additional revenue.

  11. Repeal the existing betting levy of approximately $13 million per annum paid by the NZRB, given that the thoroughbred Code is a loss maker overall, with the net owners’ losses outweighing the NZRB’s net profit.

  12. Clarify legislation to vest Race Club property and assets to the Code regulatory bodies for the benefit of the industry as a whole.

  13. Reduce the number of thoroughbred race tracks from 48 to 28 tracks under a scheduled program. This does not require the closure of any Club

  1. Upgrade the facilities and tracks of the remaining racecourses with funds generated from the sale of surplus property resulting from track closures to provide a streamlined, modern and competitive thoroughbred racing sector capable of marketing itself globally.

  2. Construct three synthetic all-weather tracks at Cambridge, Awapuni & Riccarton with assistance from the New Zealand Government’s Provincial Growth Fund. Support the development of the Waikato Greenfields Project.

  3. Introduce robust processes to establish traceability from birth and the re-homing of the entire thoroughbred herd, as the foundation stone of the industry’s ongoing animal welfare program.

  4. Increase thoroughbred prizemoney gradually to over $100 million per annum through a simplified three-tier racing model, with payments extended to tenth place in all races.

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5 minutes ago, hesi said:

Introduce robust processes to establish traceability from birth and the re-homing of the entire thoroughbred herd, as the foundation stone of the industry’s ongoing animal welfare program.

What the hell is this doing here when harness and greys can't even get a mention.

Talk about narrow in scope.

 

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8 minutes ago, hesi said:

Upgrade the facilities and tracks of the remaining racecourses with funds generated from the sale of surplus property resulting from track closures to provide a streamlined, modern and competitive thoroughbred racing sector capable of marketing itself globally.

Wonder what this could possibly do to harness racing? Less tracks, especially in the north, will grass track racing disappear?

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7 hours ago, Brodie said:

The big thing is also the loss of a huge number of the jobs at the TAB.

How many agencies are goi g to stay open!

I suggest not that many!

There is going to be a major shake up, and it isn’t going to be for the best for many.

 

 

 

 

The speed that the Govt work at it would take 5 years to get the changes needed through parliment.

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7 hours ago, Brodie said:

The big thing is also the loss of a huge number of the jobs at the TAB.

How many agencies are goi g to stay open!

I suggest not that many!

There is going to be a major shake up, and it isn’t going to be for the best for many.

 

 

 

 

If Tabcorp takes over, you wont need  tab agencies, thats a huge saving. Its happening all over nz, banks closing etc. 

But lets be realistic, tab agencies are old school, not needed, can do everything on line. I hardly go to them, most are depressing, stale workers behind counters that look like they cant give a stuff

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40 minutes ago, Newmarket said:

If Tabcorp takes over, you wont need  tab agencies, thats a huge saving. Its happening all over nz, banks closing etc. 

But lets be realistic, tab agencies are old school, not needed, can do everything on line. I hardly go to them, most are depressing, stale workers behind counters that look like they cant give a stuff

Unless they come up with a quick withdraw money to bank online, I still need to go there to withdraw my winnings

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42 minutes ago, Nowornever said:

Unless they come up with a quick withdraw money to bank online, I still need to go there to withdraw my winnings

Trust me mate, that will be the first thing they do, make it just as easy to withdraw as it is to deposit. All aus operators offer bank deposit or credit card withdrawals. 

And wont charge you a deposit fee?

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On 31/08/2018 at 6:37 AM, Nowornever said:

The speed that the Govt work at it would take 5 years to get the changes needed through parliment.

Thats IF the Govt work at it. These are recommendations only, lets not forget this. Sitting on ones hands comes to mind when dealing with Politicians  faced with major Transitional changes such as these. Dont hold your breath.

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On 30/08/2018 at 7:58 PM, hesi said:

Have to admit the focus on thoroughbred is not conducive to the racing industry as a whole, but 12 of the 17 recommendations are across the 3 codes

The disaster for Harness Racing in this report is that distribution to the seperate codes will be done on share of total turnover of each code rather than share of domestic turnover of each code. This will mean potentially millions taken off harness & given to thoroughbreds. We could see harness stakes plummet.  Hope I am wrong but this is result of report focused on thoroughbreds only.  There was good article in ODT on unfairness of the scope of report.

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Racing clubs vow to fight

     
     
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    John Messara, whose report recommends seven tracks from Timaru south should be phased out. Photo:...
    John Messara, whose report recommends seven tracks from Timaru south should be phased out. Photo: Bradley Photographers
    Lower South Island racing clubs have vowed to fight to keep their racecourses open, following the shock call for their closure on Thursday.

     

    The clubs claim the recommended axing of their courses came without thorough investigation of the effect on their communities. Australian administrator John Messara has struck at the heart of country South Island horse racing with his report, which recommends seven tracks from Timaru south should stop holding thoroughbred race meetings.

    Timaru, Kurow, Oamaru, Waimate, Omakau, Winton and Gore are identified as tracks which should be phased out.

    Central Otago Racing club president Tony Lepper said the proposed closure of the Omakau thoroughbred track was "a kick in the guts for rural Central Otago."

    Mr Lepper planned to talk to his committee about how they could retain thoroughbred racing at Omakau.

    Gore Racing Club president Justine Abernethy said its racecourse would not close without a fight from the local community. Officials from thoroughbred and harness racing clubs in Eastern Southland had started talks about the future of the course, she said.

    Messara visited Gore racecourse when he was researching for his report, but appeared not to give it thorough consideration as he was there for "about five minutes", Abernethy said.

    Gore Racing Club and Gallop South officials were waiting for the Australian to arrive and he was gone before they got a chance to say hello, she said. 

    "We were waiting for Mr Messara to come and meet with us and he drove in and drove out. He didn’t have a look around the facility or anything. He has made a decision without looking at the big picture.

    "But you need to understand what this facility means to the community and where are trainers going to go that are in Eastern Southland."

    Mr Messara’s report outlines how the racing industry will save money from the closure of courses.

    He suggests that affected clubs can race at other courses.

    Ms Abernethy said moving away from its home area would spell financial disaster for the Gore Racing Club.

    "Once we move our race meetings outside of our area we can’t take that money outside of our area. For our sponsors, our supporters and the people that have supported us, we are not just going to say that is it for the Gore Racing Club."

    Mr Lepper said Central Otago Racing Club would also lose out if it held meetings away from home.

    "They talk about us racing at Cromwell, but we use local sponsors and local people and we may be able keep the enthusiasm up to chase around to and get sponsors for a while, but it is hard when you move."

    "In time that will wear us out and the club will disappear."

    Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said news of the recommended phasing out of local racecourses — Timaru, Kurow, Oamaru, and Waimate — was both "a bit of a surprise" and disappointing. 

    "They’re really cleaning out our area," Mr Kircher said.

    "They’re gutting the South Canterbury-North Otago area."

    Due to some involvement with the Oamaru Racecourse committee he knew it had plans for development which were now obviously in doubt.The racecourses hosted days that were a big deal for their communities.

    "It’s also disappointing for the racing fraternity those with up-and-coming horses that want to race them locally, they aren’t going to have somewhere in Waitaki, Waimate or Timaru that they can go to any longer."

    Mr Messara’s landmark report has provided the racing industry with a blueprint for wide-sweeping legislative and structural change.

    The recommendations in the report look set to be followed by Racing Minister Winston Peters, who clinched government support for the New Zealand First racing policy in its coalition agreement with Labour.

    Mr Messara has recommended that thoroughbred racing clubs are stripped of any claims they have over the ownership of their racecourses so the tracks can be sold by racing authorities.Those sales would help maintain the tracks he thinks should hold race meetings.

    His report refers to the sale of thoroughbred tracks and does not specifically refer to harness racing and greyhound venues. Should the recommended legislation be written in a manner which allows racing authorities to cease any racetrack, harness racing tracks could be sold.

    Complicating the matter is harness racing clubs own part of some of the country’s racecourses used for thoroughbred racing.

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    Messara's report monumental

       
       
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      Shocking, surprising and stunning is how I would sum up the unveiling of John Messara’s racing industry report on Thursday, wrties Jonny Turner.

      And its impact should mean that August 30, 2018 will go down as the most monumental date in New Zealand racing history.

      For the thoroughbred code, it should spell the beginning of its revival to something the country can be proud of.

      Messara has a plan to double stakes — that news is probably better than even the wildly optimistic would have predicted.

      There was little surprise that overhauling the New Zealand Racing Board and  outsourcing  the TAB were suggested as income boosters for racing.

      Messara should be applauded for recommending New Zealand’s gambling levy be dropped, too.

      If these combine to double racing revenue, then there is little doubt Thursday will be looked back on as a historic day and Messara will be lauded as a hero.

      Instead of jumping up and down and cheering these positive moves, I am left pondering the very nature of the report Messara was charged with writing.

      Because, let’s be honest, it is as bizarre as it is monumental.

      Messara was charged with writing a report specifically focused on thoroughbred racing and he did a fine job.

      His carefully considered recommendations will rejuvenate that code.

      Hopefully, they will have some coincidental benefit for harness and greyhound racing.

      Step back for a second and wonder how bizarre does it get that a formal, wide-ranging and landmark review  talks to only one part of the racing sector?

      Why were the harness racing and greyhound codes treated with utter disdain by Winston Peters, who set the brief for the review?

      In what other bizarre universe could this possibly happen?

      Would there be a car industry review that recommended ways to boost the sales of Toyotas and Nissans?

      Would there be a dairy farming review that explains how to improve the milk production of Friesian cows, with no mention of other breeds?

      Why not issue a directive to investigate three codes?

      Why not make the whole racing industry — to steal a quote — great again!

      Obviously, Peters and Messara have assured the two poorer codes they will be better off if the recommendations in the report are enacted.

      That’s nice.

      I think they will be and I am excited about that prospect.

      But I would have preferred a long list of strategies to boost both codes and as to how the racing industry as a whole can thrive.

      I would have preferred a democratically elected government and their officials to have acted fairly towards each racing code. Why did that not happen?

      There are plenty of sinister explanations that have been debated since the report’s release.

      It’s the most obvious conclusion to be drawn — Peters favours the thoroughbred code and the people in it that have staunchly supported him.

      If that is the case, it stinks.

      But if it’s not, I am extremely intrigued to hear what the real reason is. I will wait patiently, like the harness and dog racing folk did for some good news in Hamilton on Thursday night. Hopefully, I get more answers than they did. Let’s end on a lighter note. How good was the question after Peters’ speech from the dog trainer asking if her greyhound was classed as a pet or a working dog.

      That was gold. Happy trails.

      jonny.turner@odt.co.nz

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      19 hours ago, Newmarket said:

      Didnt John Allen promise us a new fixed odds betting platform to begin August 2018?? Im sure he promised it early last year, Openbet rings a bell. 

      So they have spent $40 mill on it, so whats happened with it??? More money to join Triple Trio? 

      Yes he did. He also said the TAB user base would double, however he did not say how!

       I think their major plan to double the userbase is just smoke and mirrors which is to give away free deposits if people open new accounts and yes that does increase accounts but in no way does it retain accounts because people just spend the free money and never use the account again.

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      On 2/09/2018 at 4:09 PM, Chief Stipe said:

      Mr Messara has recommended that thoroughbred racing clubs are stripped of any claims they have over the ownership of their racecourses so the tracks can be sold by racing authorities.Those sales would help maintain the tracks he thinks should hold race meetings.

      His report refers to the sale of thoroughbred tracks and does not specifically refer to harness racing and greyhound venues. Should the recommended legislation be written in a manner which allows racing authorities to cease any racetrack, harness racing tracks could be sold.

      Complicating the matter is harness racing clubs own part of some of the country’s racecourses used for thoroughbred racing.

      Going to be fun watching this. 

      I hope Messara realizes it isn't going to be a walkover in any political, economic or social dimension regardless of the validity of his measures.

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