Delay to the Racing Amendment Bill

The Primary Production Committee is currently considering the Racing Amendment Bill. The bill seeks to amend the Racing Act 2003 to implement a range of provisions that are designed to:
• improve the competiveness of the New Zealand Racing Board's betting operations
• introduce new requirements on offshore betting operators
• provide for regulations on revising the formula for allocating proceeds from sports betting between the racing and sports sectors.

The committee wishes to notify the racing industry that progress on this bill is currently awaiting direction from the Minister for Racing. The committee has worked to progress its role quickly including hearing submissions during a shortened consultation period in November/December 2017. Advisers from the Department of Internal Affairs reported to the Minister in late December.

We wrote to the Minister on 25 January requesting that advice be provided to committee by officials providing recommendations for amendments to the bill, but we have yet to receive this.

The committee has written to the Minister again today reiterating the need for haste for this advice. The committee is seeking an extension on the report date for this bill as a result of this delay.

The committee will continue to endeavour to report back to the House of Representatives as soon as possible.

For more details about the bill:
• Read the full content of the bill
• Get more details about the bill
• What’s been said in Parliament about the bill?

ENDS