Queensland’s racing minister will meet with thoroughbred racing officials in a bid to cool rising tensions over the state’s new gambling tax.
Labor’s point of consumption tax means betting houses with headquarters overseas or interstate must now pay 15 per cent tax on all bets placed in the state.
NSW has introduced the tax at 10 per cent while Victoria has it at eight per cent, with both of those state’s allocating a portion of the earnings to roll back into the racing industry.
Queensland’s thoroughbred racing industry is threatening strikes on Cox Plate day and Melbourne Cup day unless it gets an immediate prize money cash injection from the new tax, in line with southern states.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the racing industry will get a new greyhound track and another for harness racing, collectively worth $20 million and funded by the tax, on top of millions in government funding each year.
“Let me be very clear, the racing industry has had a large amount of money from my government for infrastructure across the state,” Ms Palaszczuk said on Tuesday ahead of the meeting.
The premier said she is confident Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe could work out a deal with the industry.
But Cameron Partington from the Australian Trainers Association says officials will not settle for anything less than ongoing funding from the tax.
“You’ve got to put more money in at the start and spread it over more people so that more trainers can get some income out of running their horses,” he said.
