Racing Australia Annual Report 2020

RACING AUSTRALIA ANNUAL REPORT 2020 | 9 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT Data Sharing arrangements have been actively pursued to enhance traceability with agreements executed and technical development undertaken to expand the reach, timeliness and accuracy of traceability. GROWTH AND INNOVATION ■ Single National System Expands Internationally When the Single National System (SNS) project was first conceived it was resolved that its implementation across the Australian Thoroughbred Racing Industry would be the first priority and only when the foundation of the SNS was delivered would other opportunities be explored. With the foundation of the SNS completed, Racing Australia and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) commenced an extensive exploration of NZTR requirements, reaching agreement in June 2020 for NZTR to licence access to Racing Australia’s SNS. NZTR and Racing Australia are now working to onboard NZTR onto the SNS throughout 2020/2021. ■ Ongoing Expansion of Bureau Services Throughout the year Racing Australia continued to expand the Bureau Services it provides to the industry with a growing number of Principal Racing Authorities choosing to outsource industry related functions to Racing Australia. Racing Australia now manages Licencing functions such as annual licence renewals and applications, Deputy Registrar functions such as transfers, leases, and syndicates as well as Bonus Scheme lodgement, and jockey silk renewals and application. This has been achieved while working remotely. Racing Australia continues to explore further expansion of industry Bureau services. ■ Ongoing Investment in the Single National System Racing Australia continues to invest in improving and expanding the tools made available to participants to make it easier to lodge and complete essential industry functions. Over 80% of Trainers nationally utilise Racing Australia’s online tool Stable Assist to lodge Nominations, Acceptances, Withdrawals, Scratchings, Stable Returns and Retirement Notifications. The current Stable Assist has served the industry well for many years. Consistent with Racing Australia’s strategy for the new myhorseracing.horse to be the one location for all Racing Australia functions, Stable Assist was rebuilt throughout the year and a small pilot group of trainers commenced trials of the new Stable Assist. Based on feedback from the pilot group a full roll out of the new Stable Assist will commence in the new financial year based on Stable Assist being fully integrated with myhorseracing.horse enhanced features to assist trainers. Development of the new Stud Book system as a fully integrated module of the SNS continued throughout the year with a pilot group of Breeders to begin using and providing feedback in the new financial year. While the move from paper to fully online via myhorseracing.horse has been received well, the uptake by industry participants to transact online has varied significantly by type of transaction. For example, over 60% of Syndicate Renewals are now completed online without the need for paper while only 30% of Silk renewals are completed online. Analysis of the reasons for these variations continues with a commitment to continue to invest in enhancing myhorseracing.horse throughout 2020- 2021.