The board is made up of a chairperson, three deputy chairpersons and five other members.
Functions and powers
The functions and powers of the board are set out at section 95H of the Racing Act 1958.
They are to:
- Oversee relationships between the racing controlling bodies, Racing Victoria, Greyhound Racing Victoria and Harness Racing Victoria, and their integrity staff;
- Endorse an annual integrity plan for each controlling body;
- Review and provide recommendations about integrity resourcing and the integrity budgets of controlling bodies;
- Advise and make recommendations to the controlling bodies in relation to integrity policy, participant licensing policies and licensing procedures;
- Review proposals for new or amended rules of racing as they relate to integrity and make recommendations in relation to the rules of racing as they relate to integrity;
- Receive complaints from a member or director of a board of a controlling body, an integrity manager, or the chief steward or deputy chief steward about integrity issues within a controlling body;
- Refer complaints to the Racing Integrity Commissioner (RIC) and liaise with the RIC and external agencies in relation to integrity matters;
- Maintain an effective working relationship with the boards of the controlling bodies;
- Consider and provide direction in relation to any form of disciplinary action that a controlling body proposes to take against a senior member of an integrity department in relation to internal integrity matters;
- Oversee the development of a memorandum of understanding or shared services agreement between the controlling bodies;
- Issue directions to the controlling bodies regarding integrity matters.
Board members
Her Honour Judge Katherine Bourke - Chairperson
Katherine has served on the County Court of Victoria since 2007 and prior to that practised as a solicitor and barrister, specialising in personal injuries and administrative law.
She also has extensive knowledge of the Victorian racing industry having served as a Director of the Victoria Racing Club for 18 years
Ms Elizabeth Clarke AM - Deputy Chairperson
Ms Elizabeth Clarke AM has had a long involvement with racing in Victoria. She served on the Board of Harness Racing Victoria from 2012 to 2019 and as Deputy Chair from 2016 to 2019. She was also a member of the Harness Racing Victoria Integrity Council and Show Cause Committee Member between 2012 and 2019.
Ms Clarke was Club Manager at the Terang Harness Racing Club and the Terang and District Racing Club. She was Advisor in the Department of Justice on the Racing Appeals Tribunal from 2000 to 2011 and a member of Harness Racing Victoria Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board. She has been Chair of the Harness Racing Victoria Industry Advisory Council from 2016 until 2019.
Mr Bryan Gurry - Deputy Chair
Bryan Gurry has had a successful career in law that includes establishing his own legal practice and being appointed as Partner of several national law firms. Mr Gurry was a Member of the Board of Directors of Racing Victoria from 2008 until 2017 and represented the Racing Victoria Board on the Racing Victoria Integrity Council.
Mr John Barrett - Deputy Chair
John Barrett is an independent management consultant. He is an experienced senior executive whose career spans both government and non-government sectors, and he has extensive experience in governance, business performance and innovation.
He is a former General Manager and Director of the Bookmakers Licensing Board (SA), Chief Executive of the Racing Industry Development Authority (SA), and an Independent Member of the Greyhound Racing Victoria Integrity Council.
Dr CJ (Kate) Savage - Member
Kate Savage is an equine veterinarian and internal medicine specialist. She has worked in Australia, the USA and at the Beijing Olympics. Dr Savage is the past President of the World Equine Veterinary Association and was a member of the Harness Racing Victoria Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board.
Ms Megan Hughes - Member
Megan Hughes is a lawyer, writer and policy adviser with experience working in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She has strong expertise in racing and administrative law, governance and integrity and has advised a range of racing bodies in Australia and Europe, most recently on animal welfare and social licence issues.
Megan has worked on a number of significant justice and regulatory reforms, including the governance overhaul of the Victorian thoroughbred racing industry. She is currently a Senior Adviser, Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Innovative Justice at RMIT University.
Mr Tim Lyons - Member
Tim has had 20 years experience in the trade union movement as an organiser, advocate, policy specialist and senior leader. He has been a member of Federal Government boards and expert working groups on workplace relations, taxation, superannuation, procurement and industry policy.
Tim has had Australian and international leadership experience in relation to superannuation and retirement incomes policy, ESG and capital stewardship. He has had a long-term work focus on governance, compliance and accountability issues as a director, manager and leader.
Mr Emmett Dunne APM – Member
Emmett Dunne retired from Victoria Police in 2015 at the rank of Assistant Commissioner after a forty-year career in which he served in a variety of roles including as the head of the Prosecutions Division and the Professional Standards Command.
He has recently concluded six years’ service as a Director and Deputy Chair of Greyhound Racing Victoria, and he continues a life-long involvement in Australian Rules Football (AFL) which incorporated 21 years as a member of the AFL Tribunal.
Legislation and publications
Racing Act 1958
Annual reports
Policy
Updated