A review into the legislation governing Tasmania's racing industry has recommended abolishing two existing regulatory bodies and replacing them with a new independent office with sweeping powers capable of cracking down on animal abuse and boosting public confidence in racing.
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Under the recommendations of the review, written by independent racing expert Dale Montieth and released on Wednesday, Tasmania would establish a new Racing Integrity Commissioner, with overarching powers to set, monitor and investigate integrity and animal welfare standards.
The new office would absorb the functions of the present Office for Racing Integrity and the Director of Racing, and would oversee some of the functions of Tasracing - the industry's commercial administrator.
The new body would report directly to the Minister of Racing, and would retain powers of oversight of Tasracing.
The report also recommended that Tasracing establish an independent Integrity Committee, headed by an independent member appointed by the Racing Minister. The new Racing Integrity Commissioner would retain overall oversight of this committee.
Mr Montieth also recommended that the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals be given a formal role in the industry.
Racing Minister Madeleine Ogilvie said she supported Mr Montieth's recommendations "in principle", and promised that a detailed response to each of the recommendations in the report would soon follow.
She also slated $200,000 in funding to help implement the recommendations.
The review comes at a time of community anger over high numbers of recent greyhound deaths, including 18-month-old Tah Bernard, whose Exeter trainer was fined following an investigation into the dog's death.
According to figures from the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds, there were 15 on-track greyhound deaths in Tasmania last year.
The deaths sparked a small protest outside this year's Launceston Cup, held at Mowbray.
The majority of the submissions to Mr Montieth's discussion paper ahead of the release of his final report focused on animal welfare.
Tasmanian Greens leader, Cassy O'Connor, labelled the discussion paper on which the final report is based as "replete with industry propaganda".
She also wrote that it was "not clear how the proposed new model will improve the integrity and animal welfare standards of the industry".
Industry concerns meanwhile focused on overlapping and unclear functions and powers of Tasracing and the Office for Racing Integrity.
Tasracing CEO Paul Eriksson, in his submission to the review, recommended that the proposed watchdog should not have "day-to-day" responsibilities, and should not be able to create standards in the industry.
Instead, the Tasmanian Racing Integrity Commissioner's role should be to review and endorse the integrity and animal welfare standards submitted by Tasracing, according to Mr Eriksson.
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