QGBOTA

Racing Queensland have released an industry notice asking for feedback on a Draft Greyhound Licencing Venue standards document. Industry feedback closes on Oct 30th.

The QGBOTA has send an email to venues@racingqueensland.com.au asking for these standards to include requirements for the Stirup Pen.

The QGBOTA would like to formerly provide feedback that there are no standards, or mention of a pre-race lure viewing area.
The QGBOTA would like to submit the following
Definitions & Interpretation : Stirup Pen – Means an area that allows for a greyhound to sight the lure for a full lap of the intended race circuit.
Asset/Description : Stirup Pen – The pre-race lure viewing area
Standard/requirement :
1. That the area be easily accessible from the kennel area
2. Have weather protection including shade
3. Be of a height that the greyhound can sight the lure completing an entire circuit of the race track intended for that event.
4. That the greyhound must be able to view the lure whilst standing on all four paws, approx. 70cm at head height, without the requirement of a handler to lift the greyhound head to view the lure completing a full circuit.
5. That the Stirup pen must be fully enclosed to a height of 1.8M with a clear front or forward track facing fence of 1.2 that must allow for clear vision of the lure completing the circuit.

The QGBOTA would like to highlight the following points from the 2nd Oct Update.

The laws need to be changed relating to the Racing Act, the Racing Integrity Act and their relevant regulations. These laws govern how RQ and QRIC operate.

New laws need to be introduced. Part of that system includes Parliamentary Committees and this allows for public submissions. The QGBOTA will try its best efforts to notify members when this window of submissions is available and how you can have your say.
This can include the structure of how racing infrastructure is decided, who decides on priority of the infrastructure and if the minister will have the authority to override the RQ Board on their decisions on infrastructure.

It is unclear how the independent members will be appointed to these subcommittee’s and may be mentioned in the above mentioned laws.
This is an area that public submissions can be raised.
For example, a submission could be made that each code must have an industry elected person as representation on these subcommittee’s.

This list mentions the Bundaberg Greyhound track rebuild, without fine details.

Importantly there is a mention of RQ’s updated and reviewed Whistle Blower Policy. A policy of this type gives protection to people who have legitimate claims of wrong doings across the industry. The QGBOTA have asked RQ for a copy of this updated policy. ** update, click here for the policy.

The QGBOTA is unclear on the role of a QRIC Senior Wagering Integrity Role and will advise when more information is available.

Read the full update here.

Please click here to view online or see the documents below

QRIC will release a new Adverse Weather policy to be active from Oct 1st.

This policy replaces the 2017 Caring for Racing animals in Extreme Heat Policy

This policy was created with feedback and valuable insights and perspectives from stakeholders across the three codes from Queensland.

QRIC have said that the feedback was critical to the process and helped to reflect the the requirements of regional clubs, associations and racing participants.

Main points for Greyhounds are listed at 6.3.1 on page 10 using a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature – WBGT recording equipment that you may see at the tracks.

Temperature Risks are as follows

Risk Category	Ambient Temperature	Radiant Temperature WBGT rating
Low	under 32 Deg C	Under 28
Moderate	32 Dec C to 34.9 Dec C	28 to 31.9
Elevated	35 Dec C and above	32 and above

ELEVATED – DECISION POINT
Guiding Parameters: Ambient temperature ≥ 38°C
Greyhound races and official trials must not proceed where the ambient temperature at the venue is, or is reliably forecast by the BoM to reach, 38°C or higher during the scheduled period of racing or trials, or at any time from two hours prior to kennelling. In such circumstances, the meeting must be rescheduled to a cooler part of the day or abandoned. If this threshold is reached during a race meeting or official trials, proceedings must cease, and any remaining races or trials must be suspended and either postponed to a cooler time or abandoned following consultation between the Stewards, QRIC, and the Officiating Veterinarian.

If you have questions about this policy, please contact QRIC.

The policy is listed below in full.

The Annual Reports for Racing Queensland and QRIC were tabled in parliment yesterday.

The costs of the Q have come back to kill the greyhound code. The original project was supposed to cost $49M from the Racing infrastructure Funding. These were the costings that the RQ staff at the time estimated and applied for. There is no amendment to the application from the fund. It was then a surprise to no one that this amount was well and truely a fiction.

The balance was to be paid by Racing Queensland, which in turn came directly from the Greyhound Code funds. There were grants allocated which put the code in a profit of $52M for the 2024/2025 year and if done correctly would cover the losses of this year 2025/2026.

Greyhound code 2024/2025 Profit $54,508,000
Greyhound code 2025/2026 Loss $23,520,000

A two year profit of $30,988,000

These report hide an amount of $20,085,000 (for all three code) paid from RQ to QRIC to cover their integrity function as demanded by the Racing Integrity Act 2016.

Find the reports here

Racing Queensland Annual Report

QRIC Annual Report