The announcement that Peter V’landys will take long service leave to run rugby league raises further serious questions about the governance of Racing NSW.
It is highly unusual for a CEO to take leave to act as an interim CEO at another competing organisation, so we question why Saranne Cooke and the rest of the board of Racing NSW approved it.
The coming months are a critical period for the racing industry in New South Wales – an industry that employs over 27,000 people in the state. Later this week, racing’s regulator is facing off against its biggest club, the ATC, in the Appeal Court; while Brad Hazzard is conducting a major review that is examining how Racing New South Wales functions, a report due next month.
There are also ongoing issues with racing infrastructure in New South Wales, as detailed by a damning Auditor General report last month, which revealed four government-funded projects overseen by Racing New South Wales hadn’t even begun five years after approval. Added to this, race clubs across the state are in serious financial trouble.
When the CEO role at Racing NSW becomes vacant, proper governance should ensure there is legitimate process to find the best candidate.
Significant reform is needed at Racing New South Wales for the organisation to meet its responsibilities and ensure racing has a sustainable future. The public tabling and implementation of the Hazzard review cannot come soon enough.
