The Palaszczuk Government is set to establish a new independent Racing Appeals Panel.
Earlier today, Racing Minister Grace Grace announced that a new independent Racing Appeals Panel would be established in the New Year, and will replace all current Queensland Racing Integrity Commission internal reviews and the majority of QCAT appeals.
“We have long shared industries concerns with the current review process,” she said.
“For almost two years, we have been working closely with the industry to ensure any changes addressed those concerns and closed loopholes allowing industry participants to continue riding pending a review of a stewards decision.
“We understood that decisions were taking too long and without sufficient industry knowledge. The new model will be fair and transparent and is similar to other jurisdictions, including NSW and Victoria.”
Under the new model:
- Applications for review must be lodged within three business days;
- The majority of decisions will be reviewed within seven business;
- In more serious cases, the Panel will finalise its review within 20 business days;
- Appeals to QCAT can only be made where the penalty imposed by the stewards’ is three months or more, and will be limited to the severity of the penalty;
- There will need to be exceptional circumstances for QCAT to grant a stay; and
- Further consultation will immediately commence with industry stakeholders.
“The new Panel will provide for a faster review of stewards’ decisions by a specialist body, with limited grounds for further review,” Minister Grace said.
“I look forward to bringing the necessary legislative changes to the House in 2022.”