Horse Deals EI Blog
Below is an article I have written for the local newspaper The Daily Examiner in Grafton, northern NSW, which sums up some of my more diplomatic thoughts on the impact of EI on the horse industry in Australia. I am scandalised by the media and government focus on the racing industry, and my less diplomatic thoughts are probably not printable in a public place! In addition to the article below, I have contacted the Sydney Morning Herald (no response of course) deploring their travel journalists promotion of horsing riding as a fun pastime for city slickers. Aren’t these journalists aware that trucking horses to the beach at Lennox Head and riding horses through the Watagan Forest is currently illegal??? Apparently not!
Unfortunately I had space restrictions or my rave would have been longer. If anything is useful, please feel welcome to cut and paste from my rave below to contact your government representative or the powers that be in Canberra.
I had wanted to focus on something positive for the horse industry this week however everything from Pony Club in South Australia to racing in Doomben is postponed until 2008. The return to racing at Coffs Harbour is probably the lull before the belated storm of EI reaching the North Coast which will further prolong movement restrictions.
The non racing sector is extremely disappointed and becoming increasingly angered by the national media focusing exclusively on the impact of EI on the racing industry. Let me provide a more balanced view of the impact of EI and correct some misconceptions arising from Wednesday’s Daily Examiner front page story No Horsing About.
No one said the thoroughbred industry was only 20% of the horse industry in NSW. And no one said that “penalties do not apply in Amber zones if people break the rules.” Rob Byrne explained to the DEX that Bio Security protocols are highly recommended in Amber Zones but are not enforceable and therefore are not subject to penalty, except for horses travelling to races under permit. The implication is that it just takes one careless person not following recommendations for the disease to take off here. No one implied that there are no penalties in Amber Zones for breaking movement orders or failure to report sick horses.
Everyone acknowledges that the racing industry is a significant contributor to Australia’s GDP. However it is estimated by the RIRDC that only 20% of the horse population in NSW are thoroughbreds and the other 80% of horses and their owners are largely ignored. This region has one of Australia’s highest levels of horse ownership per capita, and these horses are largely stock horses and other breeds. According to the statistics quoted in the RIRDC report on the Horse Industry’s contribution to the economy, if you take wagering out of the equation, the non racing horse sector contributes more to Australia’s GDP than the racing sector. While the racing sector is reported as being on its knees, the non racing sector, which contributes over $3 billion to the economy, is already legless.
The NSW government’s response to EI is driven by its addiction to gambling revenues. I am sure no one in the racing industry on the north coast has been hoodwinked into thinking that racing recommenced yesterday at Coffs Harbour for the welfare of the horses or their connections.
Those who rely on the horse industry for all of their income have had absolutely no income for five weeks, are yet to receive their financial assistance, and still have to feed their families and horses at a time when supermarket and fodder prices are at an historical high due to drought.
While areas of Queensland have been declared a disaster zone due to the impact of EI, the NSW and federal governments fail to understand the economic impact of EI particularly on those rural communities who can least afford it. Feedback coming through Valley Country is that many local businesses have never been quieter than they are now and that includes small businesses who have suffered a significant downturn in everything from sales of fuel to fodder.
The Federal government’s response to assist businesses who have lost their incomes due to EI is appreciated by everyone but is ridiculously inadequate. The $5,000 assistance package in no way compensates businesses for loss of income and in many cases wouldn’t cover one day of expenses. No business, whether it derives its income from the racing or non racing sector of the horse industry can survive a substantial loss of income for a prolonged period. Unfortunately the government response is biased towards pandering to a powerful lobby group of international thoroughbred breeders and reducing the impact on government gambling revenues.
The non racing sector is now signing up with the Sydney law firm Attwood Marshall to join the thoroughbred industry in its class action for compensation. If negligence is proven the damages may not be in the millions it may amount to billions, as the entire sector contributes well in excess of $6 billion to the GDP.
Maureen Byrne
Valley CountryGrafton NSW
Unfortunately I had space restrictions or my rave would have been longer. If anything is useful, please feel welcome to cut and paste from my rave below to contact your government representative or the powers that be in Canberra.
I had wanted to focus on something positive for the horse industry this week however everything from Pony Club in South Australia to racing in Doomben is postponed until 2008. The return to racing at Coffs Harbour is probably the lull before the belated storm of EI reaching the North Coast which will further prolong movement restrictions.
The non racing sector is extremely disappointed and becoming increasingly angered by the national media focusing exclusively on the impact of EI on the racing industry. Let me provide a more balanced view of the impact of EI and correct some misconceptions arising from Wednesday’s Daily Examiner front page story No Horsing About.
No one said the thoroughbred industry was only 20% of the horse industry in NSW. And no one said that “penalties do not apply in Amber zones if people break the rules.” Rob Byrne explained to the DEX that Bio Security protocols are highly recommended in Amber Zones but are not enforceable and therefore are not subject to penalty, except for horses travelling to races under permit. The implication is that it just takes one careless person not following recommendations for the disease to take off here. No one implied that there are no penalties in Amber Zones for breaking movement orders or failure to report sick horses.
Everyone acknowledges that the racing industry is a significant contributor to Australia’s GDP. However it is estimated by the RIRDC that only 20% of the horse population in NSW are thoroughbreds and the other 80% of horses and their owners are largely ignored. This region has one of Australia’s highest levels of horse ownership per capita, and these horses are largely stock horses and other breeds. According to the statistics quoted in the RIRDC report on the Horse Industry’s contribution to the economy, if you take wagering out of the equation, the non racing horse sector contributes more to Australia’s GDP than the racing sector. While the racing sector is reported as being on its knees, the non racing sector, which contributes over $3 billion to the economy, is already legless.
The NSW government’s response to EI is driven by its addiction to gambling revenues. I am sure no one in the racing industry on the north coast has been hoodwinked into thinking that racing recommenced yesterday at Coffs Harbour for the welfare of the horses or their connections.
Those who rely on the horse industry for all of their income have had absolutely no income for five weeks, are yet to receive their financial assistance, and still have to feed their families and horses at a time when supermarket and fodder prices are at an historical high due to drought.
While areas of Queensland have been declared a disaster zone due to the impact of EI, the NSW and federal governments fail to understand the economic impact of EI particularly on those rural communities who can least afford it. Feedback coming through Valley Country is that many local businesses have never been quieter than they are now and that includes small businesses who have suffered a significant downturn in everything from sales of fuel to fodder.
The Federal government’s response to assist businesses who have lost their incomes due to EI is appreciated by everyone but is ridiculously inadequate. The $5,000 assistance package in no way compensates businesses for loss of income and in many cases wouldn’t cover one day of expenses. No business, whether it derives its income from the racing or non racing sector of the horse industry can survive a substantial loss of income for a prolonged period. Unfortunately the government response is biased towards pandering to a powerful lobby group of international thoroughbred breeders and reducing the impact on government gambling revenues.
The non racing sector is now signing up with the Sydney law firm Attwood Marshall to join the thoroughbred industry in its class action for compensation. If negligence is proven the damages may not be in the millions it may amount to billions, as the entire sector contributes well in excess of $6 billion to the GDP.
Maureen Byrne
Valley CountryGrafton NSW
posted by Horse Deals at
3:10 pm
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