Even in an age when personal privacy is being crushed by governments and big corporations, the suggestion that jockeys should have their phones tapped in a bid to weed out corruption is a dangerous and crazy idea. Why not tap the phones of owners and trainers as well? Why not tap the phones of stablehands? The idea is flagrantly out of touch with what should be reality. Currently, we have an isolated investigation into something that may or may not have happened in Victoria. Nothing may come of
Even in an age when personal privacy is being crushed by governments and big corporations, the suggestion that jockeys should have their phones tapped in a bid to weed out corruption is a dangerous and crazy idea. Why not tap the phones of owners and trainers as well? Why not tap the phones of stablehands? The idea is flagrantly out of touch with what should be reality. Currently, we have an isolated investigation into something that may or may not have happened in Victoria. Nothing may come of it - yet we have the Owners Association in Victoria urging the introduction of a law that would compel jockeys to agree to have their phones tapped. If this idea gains any ground...well, it would be flabbergasting.
If there is corruption on a widespread scale in Victoria, or anywhere else in Australia, why would it be restricted to jockeys? How many racehorse owners and trainers would be happy to be compelled to give authorities the right to tap their telephones whenever they felt like it? The sooner this proposal is thrown in the bin the better.
And now, fanning the flames, there's this news: Victoria's independent Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna has announced his own inquiry into race fixing allegations levelled at prominent figures in recent weeks.