Tasmanian Jockeys to Refuse to Ride from August 1
- Wednesday, 25 July 2007 00:00
The Tasmanian branch of the Australian Jockeys Association and its members have indicated that they will refuse to ride in Tasmania effective as of the 1st August this year.
This issue has arisen due to the inability of the Tasmanian racing authorities and the Tasmanian Government to resolve the longstanding issue concerning compensation coverage and indemnity for all hospital and medical and like expenses incurred by injured jockeys.
The AJA, its Tasmanian representatives the TJA, and the Australian Workers Union have been involved in discussions with representatives of the TTRC, Tote Tasmania and the State Government for eighteen months.
Tasmania is the only state that does not have a full and complete coverage for hospital medical and like expenses incurred bv jockeys who sustain injuries whilst riding Thoroughbred horses. Furthermore, in al other States jockeys are covered by State Workers Compensation Statutes. The only exception is the Northern Territory in that State there is a substantial and comprehensive cover offered to those riders who ride (periodically) in the NT and it includes full comprehensive cover of hospital medical and like expenses.
For some considerable time the Australian Jockeys Association has been concerned with the lack of adequate cover for its members in Tasmania and to a lesser extent in Western Australia. The issue in Western Australia relates to a lack of adequate compensation rather than medical and like expenses where there is in fact a full comprehensive cover. Unfortunately, jockeys who are injured in Western Australia receive weekly compensation payments that are less than 50% of what are paid in other States.
It is hoped that both the Tasmanian and Western Australian Governments will seek to remedy these unsatisfactory situations with urgency so that there is consistency and proper support for professional jockeys in this country.
Jockeys from other states have indicated they will not ride in either Western Australia or Tasmania until these issues are resolved. Irrespective of the stance taken by those jockeys, riders in Tasmania and Western Australia are not being treated fairly or given access to the rights that all other workers have under their relevant compensation schemes in other States.
Ross lnglis
Chairman Australian Jockeys Association
Media Release - AJA
