Edition 78, May 2010

Streamlined national jockey licensing arrangements

Streamlined national jockey licenisng arrangementsThe Australian Racing Board and the Australian Jockeys Association have announced work to streamline the licensing of jockeys who ride in more than one State or Territory. 

At its most recent meeting, the Australian Racing Board considered a proposal to create a national licence for jockeys. The Board agreed that while moving to a single national licence will involve a number of legal and systems issues being addressed, the principal racing authorities (PRAs) would work to streamline licensing processes for jockeys riding interstate and to reduce associated application fees to a level matching the cost of administrative processing. 

Having considered a recommendation from the working party, the PRAs of every State and Territory have agreed to adopt a uniform process effective immediately for 2010/11 jockey and apprentice jockey licence renewals. This includes:

  • waiving all licence fees for visiting riders
  • accepting home-State medical assessment
  • simplifying renewal application forms to carry similar Q&As and aiming at standardising licence conditions

The specifics of these new arrangements are as follows: 

  • 1) rider first renews licence in home State including payment fees and satisfying medical assessment requirements
     
  • 2) if riding in another State, a rider is required to complete renewal application form
     
  • 3) each other State will waive any licence fee and will not require a separate medical assessment
     
  • 4) each State retains the right to approve/refuse each application.

Phase 2 of the review will aim at further streamlining for the 2011/12 licence year. The objective will be to minimise or eliminate multi-state jockey licence forms.

The working party has identified that legal input will be required here, including an examination of the responsibilities of PRAs under statute and the Rules of Racing to approve or refuse a licence application and to set rules and conditions of licence.

The working party has also held preliminary discussions with the Racing Information Services Australia on the IT requirements for a truly national system as it relates to the jockeys licence.

The working party will continue to convene and make further reports to the ARB on the National Jockey Licence proposal.

For more information visit the Australian Racing Board website at www.australianracingboard.com.au or the Australian Jockey Association website at www.australianjockeys.org 

 

This page was generated on 31 May, 2010