AU: NSW racing going to the dogs
Verfasst: Mi 18. Jul 2012, 14:33
From m.smh.com.au
NSW racing going to the dogs
Natalie O'Brien July 15, 2012
Description: 17th June 2012, Story by , Canberra Times Photo, Colleen Petch,
Through The Lens, A night at the Canberra Greyhounds, The dogs jump from the
boxes at the start of race 8.
Scandal has again rocked the NSW greyhound racing industry as the man
charged with keeping a watchful eye on the sport, warning it was a
"dangerous fiction" to believe current laws were enough to ensure it was
adequately audited.
David Landa, a former NSW ombudsman, former chief magistrate of NSW Local
Courts and one of the state's most experienced public investigators, has
resigned as the integrity auditor for Greyhound Racing NSW, criticising the
role as compromised and unworkable.
His shock resignation follows the departure of his predecessor, Greyhound
Racing's inaugural integrity auditor, John Bernard Costigan.
Mr Landa was appointed last year to oversee all aspects of drug testing and
control, stewards, registration as well as provide an independent office to
investigate and resolve complaints.
But he told The Sun-Herald it soon became apparent that failings in the
legislation made the function of his position as an independent oversight
"simply not possible".
Mr Landa also said his ability to function as auditor had been compromised
and he had been told he would not receive funding to undertake proposed
activities. However, he believes the limits on carrying out his duties were
an unintended outcome of the legislation, which came into force in 2009.
Mr Landa, who also resigned as integrity auditor for Harness Racing NSW,
said not enough thought had been given to the consequences of the
legislation.
"Leaving a gaming industry without the proper checks and balances - no
government does that," he said.
"Nowhere in the world would the gaming industry be allowed to self-regulate
like this.
"I believe the situation is worse than before because it has created the
illusion that there is some independent oversight and there isn't." Mr Landa
wanted to implement an ombudsman-style model to investigate complaints he
had received about the process of swabbing dogs for drugs and whether it was
open to tampering.
"I was going to call for public submissions from people within the industry
and make recommendations," he said.
The greyhound racing industry and the conduct of its officials was
investigated by the Independent Commission against Corruption in 2000, but
questions were raised at the time about why it had taken so long to act,
when whistleblowers had warned the NSW government of serious problems at the
tracks at least five years earlier.
The ICAC made findings of corrupt conduct against the then chief steward,
Rodney Wayne Potter, and five other people and the industry has since
undergone radical changes.
Greyhound Racing NSW is now an autonomous non-government body that is not
subject to direction by government nor is it oversighted by ICAC. It is
responsible for both the regulatory and commercial functions of the
greyhound racing industry in NSW.
The legislation provides for a board of five members who elect a
chairperson. The Greyhound Racing NSW board chairwoman, Eve McGregor, agreed
that the position of auditor did not have a happy history. Ms McGregor said
another integrity auditor, former Tabcorp lawyer Graham Gorrie, has been
appointed. The position did not have to be advertised or put out for tender
as the only legislative requirement when choosing an integrity auditor was
that they be a lawyer.
Ms McGregor said the new board, appointed earlier this year, had invited Mr
Landa to meet them but he had resigned before that took place.
"He did not ever say why he did not want to speak to the board," said Ms
McGregor.
The NSW opposition's spokesman for gaming and racing, Steve Whan, said there
were some teething issues with the new legislation and he had put questions
on notice about it in Parliament.
The Minister for Racing, George Souris, said Mr Landa was appointed by the
board, and his only role was to confirm the appointment before it took
effect.
"My door is always open to suggestions on improving the legislation," he
said.
NSW racing going to the dogs
Natalie O'Brien July 15, 2012
Description: 17th June 2012, Story by , Canberra Times Photo, Colleen Petch,
Through The Lens, A night at the Canberra Greyhounds, The dogs jump from the
boxes at the start of race 8.
Scandal has again rocked the NSW greyhound racing industry as the man
charged with keeping a watchful eye on the sport, warning it was a
"dangerous fiction" to believe current laws were enough to ensure it was
adequately audited.
David Landa, a former NSW ombudsman, former chief magistrate of NSW Local
Courts and one of the state's most experienced public investigators, has
resigned as the integrity auditor for Greyhound Racing NSW, criticising the
role as compromised and unworkable.
His shock resignation follows the departure of his predecessor, Greyhound
Racing's inaugural integrity auditor, John Bernard Costigan.
Mr Landa was appointed last year to oversee all aspects of drug testing and
control, stewards, registration as well as provide an independent office to
investigate and resolve complaints.
But he told The Sun-Herald it soon became apparent that failings in the
legislation made the function of his position as an independent oversight
"simply not possible".
Mr Landa also said his ability to function as auditor had been compromised
and he had been told he would not receive funding to undertake proposed
activities. However, he believes the limits on carrying out his duties were
an unintended outcome of the legislation, which came into force in 2009.
Mr Landa, who also resigned as integrity auditor for Harness Racing NSW,
said not enough thought had been given to the consequences of the
legislation.
"Leaving a gaming industry without the proper checks and balances - no
government does that," he said.
"Nowhere in the world would the gaming industry be allowed to self-regulate
like this.
"I believe the situation is worse than before because it has created the
illusion that there is some independent oversight and there isn't." Mr Landa
wanted to implement an ombudsman-style model to investigate complaints he
had received about the process of swabbing dogs for drugs and whether it was
open to tampering.
"I was going to call for public submissions from people within the industry
and make recommendations," he said.
The greyhound racing industry and the conduct of its officials was
investigated by the Independent Commission against Corruption in 2000, but
questions were raised at the time about why it had taken so long to act,
when whistleblowers had warned the NSW government of serious problems at the
tracks at least five years earlier.
The ICAC made findings of corrupt conduct against the then chief steward,
Rodney Wayne Potter, and five other people and the industry has since
undergone radical changes.
Greyhound Racing NSW is now an autonomous non-government body that is not
subject to direction by government nor is it oversighted by ICAC. It is
responsible for both the regulatory and commercial functions of the
greyhound racing industry in NSW.
The legislation provides for a board of five members who elect a
chairperson. The Greyhound Racing NSW board chairwoman, Eve McGregor, agreed
that the position of auditor did not have a happy history. Ms McGregor said
another integrity auditor, former Tabcorp lawyer Graham Gorrie, has been
appointed. The position did not have to be advertised or put out for tender
as the only legislative requirement when choosing an integrity auditor was
that they be a lawyer.
Ms McGregor said the new board, appointed earlier this year, had invited Mr
Landa to meet them but he had resigned before that took place.
"He did not ever say why he did not want to speak to the board," said Ms
McGregor.
The NSW opposition's spokesman for gaming and racing, Steve Whan, said there
were some teething issues with the new legislation and he had put questions
on notice about it in Parliament.
The Minister for Racing, George Souris, said Mr Landa was appointed by the
board, and his only role was to confirm the appointment before it took
effect.
"My door is always open to suggestions on improving the legislation," he
said.