Brisbane Racing Club chairman Kevin Dixon fears new laws passed in Queensland parliament on Thursday will be the death knell for racing communities.
Brisbane Racing Club chairman Kevin Dixon fears new laws passed in Queensland parliament on Thursday will be the death knell for racing communities throughout the state.
"There has been no consultation with racing clubs or industry participants, the new law has no accountability and there is no compensation," Dixon said.
"This is not a fight from the Brisbane Racing Club, thousands of people throughout Queensland are up in arms.
"Even the government's own Scrutiny of Legislation Committee report this week highlighted flaw after flaw in the new legislation and clearly states that it will impact on the rights of individuals, employees and current clubs.
"Mark my words, clubs which are at the heartbeat of communities will fold through fund starvation if they don't adhere to the draconian wishes of Racing Queensland."
The laws set up one overarching control body - merging Queensland Racing Ltd, Queensland Harness Racing Ltd and Greyhounds Queensland Ltd - and enable more than $80 million of wagering tax to be returned to the racing industry for capital projects over the next four years, including $300,000 a year for country racing clubs.
However, Dixon said the new legislation had been passed despite his club's repeated calls for Racing Minister Peter Lawlor to consult with stakeholders other than those hand-picked to sit on the new board of Racing Queensland.
"With Minister Lawlor now wiping his hands of the racing industry, who can thoroughbred, harness and greyhound clubs turn to?" Dixon said.
"The total Queensland racing industry and the enormous amount of economic turnover it creates, its assets and its thousands of jobs, should not be controlled by a small unaccountable body who from time to time inhabits Deagon and reports to no-one.
"History tells us that absolute power breeds absolute corruption. This new law gifts absolute power."
Dixon welcomed the Liberal National Party's decision to dismantle the legislation if elected at the next state election.
