Minister Howlett’s bizarre response to a racing question has raised even more questions about whether she has the portfolio under control. 

Is Ms Howlett aware of the allegation that trainer Robbie Walters forged the signature of a neighbouring property owner to support his application to train horses in Tasmania, or not? Is she aware that ORI is or was investigating the matter?

If the Opposition is aware of this issue and the Minister is not, it raises serious questions about the Minister's handle on the portfolio and does nothing to help rebuild trust that the industry desperately needs.

It was bizarre that the Minister thought that detailing the racing bill still being debated by the parliament was an appropriate response.

Yesterday, we saw an extraordinary representation made by members of the Tasmanian harness racing community begging for the Minister to intervene in the Director of Racing’s mismanagement and get the code back on track.

Labor supports the honest racing participants who are taking extraordinary measures to rebuild faith and we will work constructively with the Government if they can get their act together. But, unfortunately, each day seems to bring a new controversy or broken promise.

The Minister’s performance today will give those same participants little comfort that she’s up to the job of restoring faith and integrity in an industry that has been let down by this government for far too long.

Luke Edmunds MLC
Shadow Minister for Racing