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Minister endorses welfare report in ‘great win’ for thoroughbred industry

Government’s agricultural minister David Littleproud urges states and territories to implement TAWWG recommendations

The Australian racing and breeding industry’s concerted push to tackle the issue of thoroughbred welfare won an important endorsement yesterday, just hours after the release of an independent report outlining how significant initiatives could be introduced to force genuine change and provide lifetime care for horses.

While the contents of The Most Important Participant: A Framework for Thoroughbred Welfare report received praise for a vast array of racing stakeholders and participants upon its publication, the federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud’s public support for the recommendations was yesterday described by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s Tom Reilly as a ‘big win’ for industry’s hope of bringing them to fruition.

The 140-page report, released late on Sunday, was compiled by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Welfare Working Group, and chaired by Dr Denis Napthine with the support of panel members, the RSPCA Australia’s head of science Dr Bidda Jones, Dr Ken Jacobs, the former president of Equine Veterinarians Australia, and Jack Lake, an expert in agricultural policy and special advisor to three Prime Ministers.

One of the panel’s key recommendations, among the 46 outlined, was to establish an independent national body, Thoroughbred Welfare Australia, with its sole focus being on the whole-of-life welfare of horses and managing a safety net to assist in cases where horses are at risk of poor outcomes.

Other recommendations focus on developing national government-enforced safety standards, in line with other animal species such as cattle and sheep, and a national traceability system to monitor the whereabouts and ownership of horses throughout their lives.

Minister Littleproud’s acknowledgement of the report comes as a vital development, with the federal and state governments set to play a major role in being able to introduce many of the national welfare standards, and the enforcement of them, as well as other initiatives recommended by the panel.

The Minister’s public approval, the highest profile of many individuals and groups who yesterday welcomed the release of the report, comes just weeks after the federal government committed $1.1 million towards establishing a national horse traceability scheme. The funding will help implement a system of traceability for all horses, not just thoroughbreds.

Littleproud welcomed the TAWWG report which recommended both levels of government work together to develop a national thoroughbred register as well as on a range of equine welfare-related matters.

“We have shown the colour of our money and want the states and territories to do the same,” Littleproud said in a statement.

“While the federal government has an important leadership role to play, domestic animal welfare and traceability is the responsibility of the states and territories.

“The comprehensive report produced by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Welfare Working Group and chaired by the Hon Dr Denis Napthine has 46 recommendations.

“The recommendations provide a national approach to provide care to our thoroughbred racehorses from birth to the end of their lives.   

“There is a role for governments – I encourage the states and territories to expedite work with the federal government in the development of national animal welfare standards for all horses.

“I applaud the thoroughbred racing industry for its work in reviewing horse welfare and want to let them know of the federal government’s commitment to taking their concerns seriously.”

While there will be a push for haste to ensure the panel’s recommendations become a reality, Littleproud urged industry consultation should be maintained and expert advice taken on board during the process.

“The industry wants both levels of government to pick up the pace, but it is important that all relevant scientific practices and views of stakeholders are considered in the development of welfare standards and traceability arrangements,” the minister said.    

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia chief executive Tom Reilly was last night buoyed by Minister Littleproud’s response which came after far-reaching coverage of the contents of the report in industry and traditional print and broadcast media outlets. 

“TBA is fortunate in that we have a good relationship with Minister Littleproud, but for him in such a crucial week for the government to back in the report is a great win for the whole industry and reading his statement he has picked up on the need for a proper traceability register and he’s also picked up on the need for standards,” Reilly said.

“Having the federal agriculture minister being supportive of those initiatives is a real win and it opens up the opportunity for us to progress (these recommendations). 

“Getting those two things are absolutely fundamental to building that framework which would ensure that there are protections for horses at all stages of their life.”

Victoria Racing Club chief executive Neil Wilson – whose fellow board directors, Godolphin Australia’s Vin Cox and prominent owner Neil Werrett, were on the steering committee advising TAWWG – hopes the various industry factions pull together on the welfare issue.

“How they are going about it is different in some areas, their priorities are perhaps different, their investment levels are different. But they all acknowledge that this is very important,” Wilson said.

“I am hopeful as one of the many stakeholders … that this is indisputable and this is hopefully a unifying activity and we can take it to another level through this initiative and the work planned to come out of this initiative.” 

Champion trainer Gai Waterhouse was also on hand for a media conference yesterday in which she said: “By making this report we are saying to the public, ‘we care and we are going to make changes’.”

Racing Australia chief executive Myles Foreman yesterday also responded to the release of the extensive report by TAWWG.  

“Racing Australia has received a copy of the report and is currently reading it prior to commenting further,” Foreman said in a statement.

“Racing Australia has, over the past two years since the commissioning of the report, continued to invest in enhanced (thoroughbred) traceability, which is critical to equine welfare outcomes.” 

Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch also welcomed the report’s findings.

“As a stakeholder in the thoroughbred industry, Magic Millions fully supports the significant work completed by this independent review,” Bowditch said. 

“It’s critically important for the industry to now work together nationally and take responsibility for implementing the report’s recommendations. 

“Improving thoroughbred welfare standards must be a national approach.”

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