October
DecemberUnholy Alliance
Just what we needed — another racing-industry lobby group.
The National Horse Racing Alliance claims to represent "a large number of owners, trainers, breeders, bloodstock agents and organisations" and aims "to give … industry participants a national voice and influence on issues affecting their very livelihoods".
Why bloodstock agents and other such leeches should have a say on issues affecting the livelihoods of the people who actually put on the show is unclear, but everything should be sweet because the new organisation is in good hands.
Its secretary is the noted intellectual and philanthropist Richard Freedman.
Given that Freedman has been, up to now, a reliable mouthpiece for his employer, Tabcorp, it won’t surprise you to learn that top of the NHRA’s agenda is advocating "the need for an appropriate levy on the turnover of wagering operators, rather than a fee based upon gross profit".
In other words, the need to turn the clock back 20 years and ensure the punter is screwed out of every last dollar until finally he gives up and switches to online poker or betting on footy.
It would be interesting to learn where the funding for this august body is coming from.
Of course, we can take as read that concerned citizen Freedman is providing his services as secretary free of any remuneration.
Cremorne (Vic)