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Time for a Ministerial and an Independent Inquiry into the NZRB Mismanagement

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Guest 2Admin2

Given what has come to light over recent months isn't there grounds for a full ministerial inquiry, or even better a joint independent review, of the management of the NZRB in recent years?

 

Let's see forming part of the TOR:

  1. Typhoon Jetbet upgrade multi-million dollar failure
  2. Dodgy contracts around the dropping of Freeview, trackside on Sky and the outsourcing of broadcasting to a third party
  3. Life Changing Triple Trio
  4. Parnell Offices
  5. Overseas Junkets
  6. Procedures for hiring inappropriately skilled executives
  7. Increase in salary bills
  8. and so on.....(feel free to add more Cafers!)

Oh and don't forget the KPMG report raised the issue of why NZRB didn't have an organisation chart.  After the events and rumours of recent days I now understand why.

 

Hiding behind bland statements and making "no further comment" doesn't cut the ice.

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Your not hoping nathan guy is going to do it are you admin?

 

Who's he? 

 

I just googled him...click 3rd link down...mp for otaki and the minister for primary industries and RACING.

He looks a handsome enough chap...under portfolios...click racing.

You can scroll down and read full speech (to any of those subjects or conferences attended)

 

The one that took my fancy was 28 NOV 2013...SPEECH TO NEW ZEALAND RACING BOARD AGM 2013

Click read full speech..."earlier this year I appointed Glenda Hughes as the new chair of the board"

"In July last year,I also appointed four new board members.This was around the same time Chris Bayliss

came onboard as the new Chief Executive.

This has delivered some fresh new leadership and ideas for the racing industry."

 

LOL.Good one...Yeah Right.

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There is a well written article on The Informant website about Chris Bayliss departure stating similar things.

 

 

Someone may like to put the link here to ensure the dots to the departure are joined together should there be a formal investigation by any of the Authorities out there that undertake that role, a role not just limited to a Ministerial or general enquiry.

 

 

We understand that if there has been misleading information on CV's / Linkedin and other profiles that are used to obtain jobs ( monies) that one is not qualified in that is classified as a Criminal offence, as it is obtaining a pecuniary benefit by deception.

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A lame duck Minister Of Racing is hardly likely to hold an enquiry into a portfolio that he is resposible for overseeing. He will be hoping it blows over quickly.

Interestingly Admin, the list that you provided in the first post aligns directly with I had written down as major points of concern. You are on to it.

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Is quite unbelievable how this continues to happen! Unfortunatley it seems the higher you go up the hierarchical ladder in our industry the more likely you are to lack the passion, knowledge, experience and basic ingrained "care of industry and participants" our code(s) require from these positons. I do understand the importance of having experience, success and longevity from a corproate/executive world. But it seems the so callled "cream of the crop" of this world we handsomly pay and input in these roles quickly become "split cream" in our world, and i can not help but attribute this poor success and lack of longevitity to the basic lack of above passion, knowledge etc mentioned. surely this needs to be an absolutle prerequisite when hiring the higher you go, no?

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"Head of Capability and Talent..." ??? Has not a clue about either judging by what we've seen so far..

It seems they all need grandiose titles....presumably to warrant the inflated pay packets they receive.

"Talentless Prats" probably doesn't have the same impact on HR.........;)

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Whilst there can be little doubt that a culture of mismanagement and excess has developed at the NZRB over several years an enquiry led by politicians is the last thing we need - in fact it could be the deathnell! The reality is that the industry needs to run on it's own free of interference from politicians of any sort. all the Pollies end up doing is interfering after lobbying from various self interested groups usually to the detriment of the wider industry.

What the industry has lacked for close to 10 years is leadership from people who have a genuine passion for the industry.

The brutal reality is that most of the 3 or 4 RB Chairman and CEO's have lacked any real experience or "feel" for the industry. Accordingly we end up with Execs with over inflated CV's and pay packets who spend the first year learning about what they are involved in, the next year introducing unworkable policies, and then leave with a "golden handshake".

If there is to be a RB shakeup it needs to be led from within.

If the industry is not already past the point of no return

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In reply to Informant article.

 

Mr Ryan,

 

You had plenty opportunity to take a punt. trust your lifelong experience and make known your reservations at the start of Bayliss's employment.

Did you ever query Bayliss going around crowing how he was in charge of a multi billion enterprise. In  the gambling industry you can't judge the size on turnover. The TAB is only at best a $350 million enterprise which would mean the salaries are way out of kilter.

Did the Informant do an expose to find out who was responsible for the Typhoon debacle? Or the Triple Trio debacle? Ok there is a limit what an editor can do but was any space ever given to anyone querying the status quo.

 

All very well jumping on the band wagon now. Yes we know..... querying the status quo in racing is just not the done thing.

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In reply to Informant article.

 

Mr Ryan,

 

You had plenty opportunity to take a punt. trust your lifelong experience and make known your reservations at the start of Bayliss's employment.

Did you ever query Bayliss going around crowing how he was in charge of a multi billion enterprise. In  the gambling industry you can't judge the size on turnover. The TAB is only at best a $350 million enterprise which would mean the salaries are way out of kilter.

Did the Informant do an expose to find out who was responsible for the Typhoon debacle? Or the Triple Trio debacle? Ok there is a limit what an editor can do but was any space ever given to anyone querying the status quo.

 

All very well jumping on the band wagon now. Yes we know..... querying the status quo in racing is just not the done thing.

 

Mr Ryan is one of the good guys.  But you are onto the right path when questioning the true size of revenue ~$300m and the worth of salaries.  Mid size co at best.

 

Make no mistake - these charlatans bought in are all professional career jumpers.  Bayliss needed CEO on his CV (and for ego) -  before he returned to banking.  Cairns et al are all on the best wickets of their careers.  Cairns is no more than a corporate communications manager.  No one who has worked with her would rate her output.  Talent officer is too young to have really achieved anything so yet again begs question around true talents.

 

Have alook at Lotteries salaries.  Lotteries makes more money off gambles than TAB - but their salary base is way lower.  Ten years ago or so the scandal was what Bale et al were paid - and TAB was under that.  Now TAB streaking ahead off back of Brown euro salary mistake (450k Eu = $900k NZ) and parlayed into latest nonsense salary.  What does Lotteries guy earn?  Way less for making more money.  BTW - Stiassny/Sutherland fingerprints all over Brown fiasco.

 

Good luck with Ministerial - I'd suggest auditor general might be better route.  And feed Winston.......  timing is good.  you get a response ala fart tax about this time in election cycle.

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Is the Racing Board incompetent? How has this been allowed to happen. It's like a Sows picnic ! Has none if them any honour or integrity? How can they sit by, suck on the raro and let NZTR go down the proverbial? As for the Minister for Racing? Fair dinkum, if Otaki is the cauldron for Racing intelligence....

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Law change needed to level playing field   ROB STOCK

 

 

 

 

Last updated 05:00 06/07/2014

 

The former banker who has just resigned as head of the Racing Board has proposed the Government introduce laws to help stem "leakage" to Australian bookmakers.

New Zealand does not officially have a competitive bookmaking market with the TAB, owned by the NZRB, a statutory monopoly. But plenty of Kiwi punters place bets online with overseas bookies. How much is unknown but it's estimated as high as $300 million to $400m a year.

NZRB chief executive Chris Bayliss resigned last week after two years in the job, but prior to his resignation Bayliss said the TAB had been working with the Government on amending legislation so that overseas bookmakers using New Zealand product, racing or sport, would have to be licensed here.

Part of the licensing requirement would be to pay GST and also the levies that the TAB has to pay. TAB's overseas rivals can offer better odds because they don't incur these costs.

The State of Origin rugby league game on May 28 highlighted the differences. The TAB odds offered on Queensland to win were 2.70 (ie $2.70 back for every $1 bet), compared to 3.00 at Sportsbet, and 3.15 at Centrebet, both Australian betting websites.

That's unfair competition said Bayliss, especially as the TAB has a large retail store base to operate versus online-only overseas bookmakers.

Bayliss said around 80 per cent of the money is flowing into betting companies like Sportsbet and Centrebet, domiciled in Australia's Northern Territories.

He believed their chief executives would comply with new laws. "All we can do is have the legislation, and make the large corporates aware that it exists. I think the large corporates will embrace it."

Previously some had suggested following the Australian example of a 1.5 per cent "product fee" on bets taken on New Zealand sports by overseas bookmakers, assuming they could be forced to pay. But for an organisation that makes a profit of $140m, 1.5 per cent of $300m is a "rounding error".

Bayliss wanted to level the playing field so Kiwis won't get better odds overseas. "If Kiwis no longer want to bet with overseas bookmakers because the odds aren't better . . . " Bayliss mused.

"My net profit is 10 per cent. $30m is a game-changer."

The racing industry misguidedly believed that Government should build a digital wall around New Zealand, and start blocking overseas web-betting services, as well as following the likes of Hong Kong, making it illegal for banks and credit card companies to process payments to overseas bookmakers.

Not all of the leakage is to do with the better odds. TAB has been slow to adapt. It has only just started streaming events online, and finally launched a functioning smartphone betting app to cash in on the football World Cup.

"Licensed bookmakers' betting patterns could be more easily scrutinised if they were licensed", Bayliss said.

Bayliss said he had "ongoing dialogue" with Racing Minister Nathan Guy and he expected progress on the issue in the next 12 to 18 months. But the minister wouldn't be drawn on whether Baylis's proposal will get the nod.

"Leakage is an important issue for the local racing industry and I've been discussing it with industry leaders," Guy said.

"It's a complicated issue and will take some time to work up some options."

- Sunday Star Times

Interesting that this turns up the week he leaves.......polishing a turd perhaps.....? ;)

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Mr Ryan is one of the good guys.  But you are onto the right path when questioning the true size of revenue ~$300m and the worth of salaries.  Mid size co at best.

 

Make no mistake - these charlatans bought in are all professional career jumpers.  Bayliss needed CEO on his CV (and for ego) -  before he returned to banking.  Cairns et al are all on the best wickets of their careers.  Cairns is no more than a corporate communications manager.  No one who has worked with her would rate her output.  Talent officer is too young to have really achieved anything so yet again begs question around true talents.

 

Have alook at Lotteries salaries.  Lotteries makes more money off gambles than TAB - but their salary base is way lower.  Ten years ago or so the scandal was what Bale et al were paid - and TAB was under that.  Now TAB streaking ahead off back of Brown euro salary mistake (450k Eu = $900k NZ) and parlayed into latest nonsense salary.  What does Lotteries guy earn?  Way less for making more money.  BTW - Stiassny/Sutherland fingerprints all over Brown fiasco.

 

Good luck with Ministerial - I'd suggest auditor general might be better route.  And feed Winston.......  timing is good.  you get a response ala fart tax about this time in election cycle.

Interesting stuff DYBI.

From your comments it sounds like you have first hand experience/knowledge of working with these people.

That right....?? If so, no doubt there is more to come...

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Interesting stuff DYBI.

From your comments it sounds like you have first hand experience/knowledge of working with these people.

That right....?? If so, no doubt there is more to come...

 

There is a veritable treasure trove of misdeeds - or stuff thatwouldn't pass any sniff test.  These people live and breathe the "game" of accountability and transparency - but it is what they demand of you, not themselves.

 

The rushed resignation smells to high heaven and the real reasons should be made transparent.  Was it financial chicanery?  inappropriate relations? false cv details?  previous form?  Media needs to demand a good light shone here so industry can be satisified it was just "too hard to commute".  Yeah right!

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Slam Dunk and Don't You Believe It...

 

Dennis Ryan could start by looking into the facts surrounding the NZRB's purchase of the Best Bets/Turf Digest publications and the events surrounding the demise then resurrection of his current employer.

 

Having said that, I respect Mr Ryan's stated opinion and admire his courage in having such published.

I wish all strength to him and hope that he continues to write the truth and that his employers have the courage to continue to publish the truth.

 

All the best.

Ashoka

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Achievements?

 

Even last week kept up performance misinformation as reported on Stuff.  Where is the app?

 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/10236046/Law-change-needed-to-level-playing-field

 

Not all of the leakage is to do with the better odds. TAB has been slow to adapt. It has only just started streaming events online, and finally launched a functioning smartphone betting app to cash in on the football World Cup.

 

Has anyone seen the app or used it?  Press release, social media announcement?  M.I.A.

 

And as for reducing leakage.........

 

Read the Statement of Intent to judge "achievements".  Pg 38 has betting turnover forecast at $1831m 13/14 rising 10% to $2019m in the next two years.  LMFAO!

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Slam Dunk and Don't You Believe It...

 

Dennis Ryan could start by looking into the facts surrounding the NZRB's purchase of the Best Bets/Turf Digest publications and the events surrounding the demise then resurrection of his current employer.

 

Having said that, I respect Mr Ryan's stated opinion and admire his courage in having such published.

I wish all strength to him and hope that he continues to write the truth and that his employers have the courage to continue to publish the truth.

 

All the best.

Ashoka

 

Yes the NZRB is on an uneven playing field when it competes with other businesses be it publishing or cooking hot dogs.

 

However to advance betting the NZRB now needs the Turf/Digest more than ever as a companion to mobile betting. Therefore most of the fine print can go but replaced by QRCODES or similar which makes accessing form, betting, account setup or funding simpler over mobile devices. . Perhaps a new set of bankers is required to implement this certainly the current lot seem incapable of anything.

 

Dennis is like many in the industry. Not vocal enough which gives newbies like Bayliss the idea that the industry doesn't have intelligent participants.

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Slam Dunk...

 

The NZRB initially stated categorically that there was no industry gain to be had by purchasing the Turf Digest/Best Bet publications then did a u-turn...why?

The answer, I believe, would have surprised many at the time...but not now.

 

Under the Chairmanship of Michael Stiassny, objective coverage of our racing industry was stifled, in my opinion, and, also, in my opinion, no mainstream racing journalist comes out of this with any credit whatsoever.

 

Cheers.

Ashoka

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Guest 2Admin2

Slam Dunk...

The NZRB initially stated categorically that there was no industry gain to be had by purchasing the Turf Digest/Best Bet publications then did a u-turn...why?

The answer, I believe, would have surprised many at the time...but not now.

Under the Chairmanship of Michael Stiassny, objective coverage of our racing industry was stifled, in my opinion, and, also, in my opinion, no mainstream racing journalist comes out of this with any credit whatsoever.

Cheers.

Ashoka

Fairfax laughed all the way to the bank when they sold turf digest and best bets. Sky is laughing all the way to the bank when NZRB sold out of Freeview.

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