The Victorian Government has announced that the Board of Racing Victoria will be independently elected from next year onwards, in the wake of a tumultuous 24 months for local horse racing.
Victorian Minister for Racing Martin Pakula will introduce legislation next year to propose a change to Racing Act 1958, which will aim to change the way the board is elected and ensure any conflicts of interests from board members will be reduced.
No other changes to Racing Victoria will be proposed, allowing the fundamental aspects of the organisation's operation to remain unaltered.
The Government will work together with the current Board and the wider racing industry to finalise how these changes will take place.
“Racing is an industry which employs tens of thousands of Victorians and is worth hundreds of millions of dollars,” Pakula said in a press statement.
“It’s vital that an industry of such importance has a modern and independent governance structure to match.
“It is no longer appropriate for the Board of Racing Victoria to be chosen by the people and organisations that it regulates.”
This news comes as Racing Victoria seek a new Chairman after David Moodie resigned from the position last week.
Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna found Moodie to be involved with the leak of information to trainer Peter Moody about upcoming positive cobalt tests of horses trained by Mark Kavanagh and Danny O’Brien.
Moody allegedly relayed the information onto Kavanagh and O’Brien before they were issued with the charges by racing stewards.
Moody was handed a six month ban for having horses of his own test positive for the banned substance, forcing him to walk away from training earlier this year, while Kavanagh and O’Brien are currently awaiting the result of an appeal for their respective three and four year bans.
Racing Victoria also remain on the search for a new CEO to follow the outgoing Bernard Saundry, with the new proposal aimed to fast-track the appointments of both a new chief executive and a new Board chairman in the near future.