Thursday, 28 August 2025

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (09:52): Victoria’s 2025 jumps racing season finally came to an end on the weekend, and five horses were killed. It was the first season after our state’s eighth – yes, eighth – independent review into jumps racing in our state. This review was initiated after the last day of the 2024 season was the deadliest day in our history, killing three horses and seriously injuring two jockeys. At that time I joined with former Labor racing minister Rob Hulls to say enough is enough, but appallingly Racing Victoria chose to continue with the blood sport. Queensland stopped jumps racing in 1903, Western Australia in 1941, New South Wales in 1997 and South Australia in 2022, yet we stay behind as the only state in the entire country killing horses at breakneck speed for gambling profits. The so-called safety improvements implemented for this season after the review are clearly a farce. They did not work – horses still died. None of us should be shocked. There is nothing that the industry can do to make jumps racing safe. If we are truly the progressive state, then there is no other option but for the Minister for Racing Anthony Carbines to finally intervene on Racing Victoria’s total incompetence and finally ban jumps racing in Victoria.