MP Parton Goes In to Bat for Capital's Racing Industry

Canberra may be the capital of Australia, but its thoroughbred racing industry is in danger of becoming a national backwater, if not wiped out altogether, as the Australian Capital Territory's Greens Party pushes for the withdrawal of government funding for the sport.

The ACT government recommitted to another five-year agreement, signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Canberra Racing Club to ensure racing continues at Thoroughbred Park after the previous deal expired June 30.

The MoU, worth AU$40 million over the span of the deal, also supports the Canberra Harness Racing Club until June 2027. Greyhound racing in the ACT was banned by the government in 2018.

Mark Parton, the Liberal member in the ACT Legislative Assembly for Brindabella, is a former race caller, racehorse owner, and radio broadcaster who entered politics in 2016.

He has taken up the fight for the local racing industry—home of the 2-year-old autumn feature race Black Opal Stakes (G3)—campaigning on behalf of the sport from parliament to ensure it is future-proofed after the expiry of the new MoU.

"Look, (racing in Canberra has) got some serious challenges, but most of those challenges are based on the political landscape here," Parton said. 

"In every other jurisdiction in Australia, sure, the Greens have a presence, but they can operate as an extremist fringe party, but here in the ACT they have a seat at the power-sharing table, a genuine seat. They have three Cabinet members in Parliament here.

"It means that those extremist ideas actually have a genuine impact, which is a major concern, because it has resulted in the banning of greyhound racing in the ACT and, although the Greens make it clear that they don't wish to ban thoroughbred or harness racing, it is abundantly clear that they wish to end both thoroughbred and harness racing in the ACT, and that doesn't sound like Australia to me."

The Greens had been campaigning for the axing of government funding of the local industry.

"There's a much better way to use that public funding," ACT Greens spokesperson for animal welfare Jo Clay said in June.

"It hasn't gone through a public procurement; it hasn't gone through a grant process.

"We have so many major problems at the moment; we are dealing with climate change, COVID-19, and homelessness, and I don't think it's the right use of AU$40 million of public money."

The racing industry in Canberra has been fighting for its survival, with Territory trainers hamstrung by obscene insurance premiums and a lack of certainty from the government.

Trainers Luke Pepper (Scone), Joe Ible (Kembla Grange), and Doug Gorrel (Wagga) have all relocated their respective stables to New South Wales from Canberra in the past 12 months.

Parton acknowledged the insurance impost on trainers—and all ACT businesses—was "a massive problem."

He said: "It is going to require a complex solution. I am an optimist, and I believe that we can win government in 2024 and that, from government after that time, we can work towards finding some sort of solution to even the playing field because financially, it makes it very difficult to run an operation in the ACT."

Prize money for Canberra Thoroughbred race meetings are funded by the club and not by Racing NSW, but competition for Australia's biggest racing state means the club needs to keep pace with rising prize money levels to encourage owners and trainers to enter their horses for Canberra race meetings.

"Canberra's a great place to live and, aside from some of these other aspects, and they are major aspects, it's a pretty cool place to train racehorses," Parton said.