Tasmanian Racing Embarrassed By Jockey Compo Fiasco

Wednesday, 10 January 2007 00:00

Tasmanian racing has suffered an embarrassing blow at the start of its main racing carnival, with the revelation that interstate apprentices have no insurance coverage.

The issue has meant that Victorian apprentice Willie Hernan has had to give up a full book of 8 rides at today's Devonport Cup meeting.

According to Hernan's manager, Russell Linford, the promising apprentice will not only lose a day's riding fees, but will also have to foot the bill for travel and accomodation in Devonport, which he has paid out of his own pocket.

Having accepted the Devonport rides, Hernan will also be unable to ride at Sandown today, meaning that the fiasco will have cost him at least two thousand dollars.

Des O'Keefe, CEO of the Victorian Jockeys Association, explained:

"The issue only came to light after Katrina Cosson and Craig Atkinson were injured at King Island on New Year's Day."

The two Victorian apprentices fortunately suffered relatively minor injuries at the King Island meeting, but when O'Keefe followed up TOTE Tasmania over compensation for lost income and recovery of medical expenses he was astonished to find that Tasmania's workers compensation did not cover interstate apprentices.

"Unlike every other state, in Tasmania they consider jockeys are independent contractors rather than being deemed racing industry employees", O'Keefe said.

"When an interstate jockey rides in Tasmania he has to get a license from the Tasmanian Thoroughbred Racing Council so he is covered."

"Interstate apprentices are considered by the TTRC to be on loan from their master, so they don't need a license to ride there, but their insurance company won't insure them because they are not licensed Tasmanian jockeys."

According to O'Keefe, the workers compensation position for jockeys riding in Tasmania is a disgrace.

"This policy has been in place since at least the start of this season."

"We are very fortunate that there has not been a serious accident involving an interstate apprentice."

The coverage that is provided is only half of what a jockey would get in Victoria. Jockeys injured in Tasmania get a maximum $600 a week for income compensation compared to $1190 in Victoria and medical cover is inadequate compared to other states according to O'Keefe.

He says that responsibility for the compensation mess lies with the Tasmanian government.

"It is an indictment on the government to allow workers in a hazardous job to be working under inadequate workers compensation conditions."

"There has been a total lack of resolve by the government to sort the situation out."

"A year ago, interstate jockeys refused to ride on Devonport Cup day until they were assured that compensation was satisfactory."

Despite a change of insurers to CGU last year, the situation appears not to have improved.

O'Keefe contrasted the Tasmanian position to that in Victoria, where active co-operation between Racing Victoria, the state government and Workcover has not only seen workers compensation benefits improve, but also improved safety procedures have led to a reduction in claims.

"Racing Victoria paid $4 million in premiums two years ago and that reduced to $3.6 million last year", O'Keefe said.

Given that Racing Victoria is funding compensation cover for 50,000 starters annually, the cost per starter has declined from $80 to $72.

Tasmania has only 6,000 annual starters and pays only half of Victoria's benefits so the cost of its scheme would currently be only $40 a starter or $240,000 each year.

Doubling that amount of premium would allow benefits like Victoria to be provided and surely would accomodate visiting apprentices.

With millions of dollars being pumped into Tasmanian racing by Betfair, it would seem a small burden to provide all jockeys riding there the same level of benefits that they would enjoy elsewhere.