Racing NSW: Information Regarding Eligibility For Financial Assistance
Arrangements and eligibility criteria for assistance under the Commercial Horse Assistance Payments Scheme have now been approved by the Federal Minister for Agriculture, the Hon Peter McGauran MP and are outlined below.
This scheme provides a per-horse, per-day payment to the primary carers (trainers) of horses in work to provide for their welfare and ongoing training to ensure they remain fit and healthy and ready to return to racing when normal activities are resumed.
An applicant’s first claim will be backdated to 25 August 2007 provided they meet all eligibility criteria and the scheme will continue until 16th November 2007 or until the ban on the movement of horses is lifted. The payments will be credited to the Stakes Payment Accounts of the trainers who, in turn, are to credit 70% of that amount to the respective owner’s billing account. Payments will therefore be as follows.
Owner Trainer Total
Metropolitan trained horses (per horse) $35.00 $15.00 $50.00
Provincial trained horses (per horse) $31.50 $13.50 $45.00
Country trained horses (per horse) $28.00 $12.00 $40.00
For example a metropolitan trainer with 40 horses in work would receive $50 per horse per day, i.e. $2,000 per day or $60,000 per month of which $42,000 is to be credited to various owners’ billing accounts and $18,000 retained by the trainer.
The Federal Government has imposed a condition which provides that to be eligible to receive payments under this scheme, the controlling owner must not have an amount of $300,000 or more in a personal bank account which can be accessed without penalty. Accordingly this does not include fixed term deposits, shares or bank bills.
Where there is no single controlling interest in the horse, the majority of interests must meet the above criteria, eg in a partnership of 9, 5 of the interests must meet the above test. Where the controlling interest in a horse fails the above test, the trainer’s share of the payment will be unaffected and he/she will still receive their share of the payment (i.e. 15%).
Claimants for this assistance will be required to provide evidence of Stable Returns or other suitable documentation detailing horses under their care which are in work. On-site inspections will be undertaken by Racing NSW stewards to verify the claims being made. Assistance under this scheme will be reduced for prizemoney earned by eligible horses between 20th September until midnight on 16th November 2007 in proportion to the owner's and trainer's share of that prizemoney (owners 85% and trainers 10%). Prizemoney earned before 20th September will not affect the payment.
In addition to the above, an amount of $10 per horse per day will also be provided under the scheme to allow payments to other industry participants such as jockeys, freelance track riders, farriers, veterinarians, horse dentists, horse transport operators and other persons providing direct and specialized essential services to the industry.
Conditions relating to this scheme are currently being developed and further advice will be provided to participants when it becomes available. This scheme will be administered by Racing NSW and inquiries should be directed in the first instance on Keith Bulloch on 1800 634 300.
Participants are also reminded that they may be eligible for assistance under the following schemes:
This scheme will provide for the payment of one-off grants of up to $5,000 to businesses and self employed persons who derive the majority of their income from racing, are incurring additional costs because of the outbreak and are facing a significant downturn in income.
This scheme will cover such categories of businesses and persons as trainers, jockeys, farriers, horse transport companies, veterinarians etc.
We urge all self employed participants to make application.
Applications can be made through Centrelink. Further details can be found on the Centrelink website www.centrelink.gov.au or by calling the Equine Influenza Hotline on 1800 234 002.
This scheme will provide for the payment of fortnightly allowances to workers who have lost their jobs or most of their income and sole traders whose incomes have effectively ceased because of the EI outbreak.
The payments under the scheme will be equivalent to the Government’s Newstart Allowance ($424.30 per fortnight for singles) and not subject to the activity and assets tests that usually apply.
This includes persons unable to attend their workplace because of restrictions imposed by EI quarantine arrangements.
Applications can be made through Centrelink. Further details can be found on the Centrelink website www.centrelink.gov.au or by calling the Equine Influenza Hotline on 1800 234 002.
This scheme was established under a $4 million grant from the Federal Government to provide emergency grants to individuals suffering financial difficulty as a result of the Equine Influenza outbreak. Grants of up to $1500 are available for individuals in New South Wales and Queensland, whose livelihood is dependent on horses.
Insofar as NSW is concerned, the Hardship Assistance Fund is being administered by Racing NSW who will assess applications in conjunction with Harness and Commercial Equestrian groups. Applications may be made by participants who derive their major source of income from the Horse Industry, incorporating Thoroughbred Racing, Harness Racing and Commercial Equestrian Horses, and are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the outbreak of EI in NSW.
Further details regarding this scheme can be found on the Racing NSW website (www.racingnsw.com.au) or by calling the Equine Influenza Hotline on 1800 670 051.
