News

GOTBA Vic has been requested by GRV to participate in a small (6-7 member) working group that is assisting on the development of proforma or template documents and other material ahead of the formal commencement of the Code of Practice for the Keeping of Racing Greyhounds on 1 January 2020.

GOTBA Vic committee members Rob Britton and Lynton Hogan are on the working group.

We will keep you informed of our progress.  Comments to us by members on Code matters will, of course, be welcome.

For more info, see the attached Note to Members - GOTBA Vic and GRV Working Group.pdf

This Saturday 24 November is a critical State election for greyhound racing.  At GOTBA Vic we are politically neutral, save as to those parties who want to end greyhound racing, the Greens and the Animal Justice Party.  If you care about greyhound racing, do not support them with your vote this Saturday.  

Both of Victoria’s two major parties have shown strong support for and interest in Victorian greyhound racing over the last 4 years.  Unaffected by the needs of any alliance with the Greens or Animal Justice Party, we would hope and expect it would stay that way.

In addition, Jeff Bourman MP of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party expressed his and his party’s support to us and greyhound racing in person at our last committee meeting.  We appreciated that.  The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party is an excellent choice in the Legislative Council (upper house) as a check on major parties (and the Greens/AJP) in the interests of greyhound racing.  Better still, Geoff Collins, a former GOTBA Vic committee member, is standing for Victoria’s Western Region for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party.  He would be a powerful ally for greyhound racing as a parliamentarian and we wish him good luck.

Whichever way you wish to vote, and we at GOTBA Vic are not telling you to vote any particular way, we implore you to ask yourself, how is the vote you are casting in the best interests of greyhound racing in this State?

GOTBA Vic Committee

GOTBA Vic has analysed GRV's annual reports between 2012/13 and 2016/17 (2017/18 is not yet available).  Our report is attached - GOTBA Vic's GRV Annual Report Analysis.pdf

It makes for disturbing reading. 

Day in, day out participants and clubs are working ever harder to advance the sport and the welfare of the greyhound under ever increasing administrative and time burden. Yet your percentage share of wagering revenue has dropped markedly. 

It is very clear to us that participants are now not being properly rewarded relative to the revenue the sport brings in and are not getting their fair share.  A simple example: Victorian horse racing participants received 57% of RVL's wagering revenue in 2016/17, you received 47% of GRV's wagering revenue in that year. You received 55% in 2012/13.  

Money that should come to you is being spent elsewhere.  Our report shows rampant GRV expenditure on things that are not returns to you or investment in physical track infrastructure. 

This HAS to change.   GOTBA Vic expects GRV's revenue in financial year 2017/18 to reach almost $100m. 

We encourage you to read the report and contact us with any questions on it.  Just like we will, you should use every opportunity you have to press GRV on returns to participants.  GOTBA Vic believes the only way the trends we identify will be sustainably reversed is to return participant participation and input into the GRV Board.

GOTBA Vic Committee

Each month GOTBA Vic provides a short note for inclusion in GRV’s Greyhound Monthly.  This month’s report was rejected by GRV, without reason. 

It read:

If GRV receives wagering income of $68m a year, how much of that should GRV spend on returns to participants (prize money, starter fees and bonuses)? On infrastructure? On staff? On its integrity function? Now what about if GRV has income of $90m or even $100m?

As I said in last month’s report, what matters to GOTBA Vic, irrespective of change, is that all participants are fairly treated and fully rewarded for their participation and success.

What GRV spent on participant returns and infrastructure in 2012/13 on income of $68m and in 2016/17  on income of $90m (latest available figures) may surprise you. 

In November 2018, GOTBA Vic will release an analysis of participant returns and GRV infrastructure spend using GRV’s own reported figures. We have made a comparison between GRV and Racing Victoria Limited.  While much has changed in our industry since 2012/13, and GRV does many things well, what we can say with absolute confidence is that GRV now simply does not return a satisfactory proportion of its income to participants. Its infrastructure spend is low. 

That needs to change.  Participants in 2018 race more and have more costs imposed on their participation. We are pressing for fairness. Participants must get a better return.  Your voice helps us do that.

You can expect more analysis and action in future from us, as well as help. 

[GOTBA Vic AGM paragraph not reproduced here]

GOTBA Vic is committed to being an open, transparent organisation for its members, one that enhances and projects the voices and interests of greyhound racing participants at every level for the benefit of all of them.  We best do that by hearing from you and from your active membership with us.

GOTBA Vic's more detailed report on GRV spending, using GRV's own figures, will soon follow.  

Some highlights (or lowlights...):

• Participant share of wagering income has decreased from just under 60% in 2008/09 to 47% in 2016/17 (last available figures) – in today’s terms that difference is almost $13m in annual prizemoney;   

• GRV’s expenditure on itself, particularly employees, has exploded: GRV’s ‘other expenses’ (excluding participants returns and infrastructure) has ballooned from $14.6m in 2008/09 and $20.3m in 2012/13 to $50.3m in in 2016/17.

GOTBA VIC will hold its annual general meeting at Sandown Greyhound Racing Club from 6pm on Sunday 18 November 2018. Registration will commence from 545pm.  Non members can join on the night.

We will discuss the year ahead and key initiatives to advance the interests of participants. More info will follow on content of the meeting.

Nominations for committee positions will be open until 4 November to members of more than 12 months.  Nomination forms here - GOTBA Committee Nomination Form.pdf and should be returned to the committee by email to gotbav@gmail.com or as noted in form, 14 days before the meeting.

2018 GOTBA AGM Flyer.docx 

GOTBA Vic has made a submission to GRV on its recent Hot Weather and Transport Policy changes.

In it we set out our approach to rule and policy changes generally and, of course, comment on the proposals.

We are concerned that GRV proposes changes that do not align with the Code of Practice for the Keeping of Racing Greyhounds, without telling you (or us) why.  That should not happen. Transport policy in the Code, for example, was subject to active discussion and negotiation between participants, vets and other stakeholders. We are also concerned that some changes made by GRV do not take into account how participants race greyhounds, especially coursing.

The submission is attached - GOTBA Vic - Submission.docx.

GOTBA Vic Committee

At GOTBA Vic's most recent committee meeting, Sandra Reed stepped down as President, and now takes on the role as one of the Vice Presidents, with Rob Britton.  For many years, Sandra has provided driven leadership that has obtained results: the Committee thanks her for her time as President.

Lynton Hogan, formerly a Vice President, is the new President of the association.  

In 2018/19 GOTBA Vic will be both active and visible in many areas: from assistance to participants in the lead-up to the January 2020 commencement of the Code of Practice for the Keeping of Racing Greyhounds to advocating forcefully for participants’ interests with GRV (and others) in matters as diverse as grading, breeding, licensing and disciplinary matters, planning issues and (in particular) increasing the economic returns of all participants.

GOTBA Vic is committed to being an open, transparent organisation for its members, one that enhances and projects the voices and interests of greyhound racing participants at every level for the benefit of all of them.  

We best do that by hearing from you and from your active membership with us.

The Victorian Government has recently released draft amendments to the Racing Act that reform the integrity and disciplinary structures applying to greyhound racing and propose more powers for GRV.

GOTBA Vic provides a note to members and its position on the draft changes - GOTBA - Note - 2018 Racing Act amendments.pdf

Central to our response - it is time for permanent participant voices to return to the GRV Board - see attached.

GOTBA Vic Committee

GOTBA Vic's 2018 Supanite  is coming up soon, on 12 April at Sandown.  A night for members and sponsors to meet, discuss and catch up on issues in what has been a busy time in greyhound racing.

The committee would love to see you there.  Here's the flyer - SupaNite 2018.pdf. 

Book a dining package through Sandown to attend and we'll see you there!

Cost - Buffet: Adult $40, kids 6-14yrs $15, 15-17 $25.  Buffet with drinks package included $65.  For trainers with greyhound racing on night, buffet is $15.

There are a number of prizes and opportunities for members on and before the night.  One of the big events is a silent auction of 6 breaking-in spots - 2 from each of Keyon Kennels, Doctors Kennels and Casbrakay Kennels. Members can participate in the auction by sending in bids before 9 April, but then also on the night itself, by filling in and returning the  Auction Form - Final.pdf

Here - GOTBA Vic Release - 2018 GAR amendment - 8 March 2018.pdf - is our submission to GRV in response to it seeking comment on recent GAR changes.  Those changes relate to a number of rules/definitions, including the prohibited substance definition.

To us, the proposed amended rules say quite a lot about how Australian greyhound racing regulators treat their participants. We are particularly concerned at how national rules can get made without wide-based, prior, participant-level national consultation occurring. At the end of the day, we participants are the ones who have to try and follow these rules.

We are actively considering what further follow up is appropriate to address our concerns.

GOTBA VIC COMMITTEE

9 March 2018