Tasracing Under Scrutiny Over Election Campaign Text Message
During the July 2025 Tasmanian state election campaign, Tasracing, a government-owned business, distributed a text message promoting the Liberal Party's proposed state-owned insurance company, TasInsure. The message, sent on July 3, detailed that TasInsure, if established by a re-elected Liberal Government, would offer workers' compensation insurance to racing industry participants.
The incident has raised concerns about potential breaches of caretaker conventions, which prohibit using government resources for party-political messages during elections.
Investigation and Accountability
Then-opposition leader Dean Winter received the message and promptly raised concerns about its political nature. Tasracing chair Gene Phair subsequently had the message removed from Tasracing's platforms.
Racing Minister Jane Howlett faced parliamentary questioning regarding her awareness of the message. Initially, she denied her office's awareness. However, emails obtained through right-to-information (RTI) requests indicated a senior advisor in her office was informed as a standard courtesy before the message was sent. There is no suggestion Mr. Gaetani influenced the message's content.
Tasracing CEO Andrew Jenkins stated that he took full responsibility for sending the text message, asserting it was not intended as a political statement or endorsement.
Minister Howlett Clarifies Statements
Minister Howlett later clarified her parliamentary statements. She acknowledged she had reposted Tasracing's media release about TasInsure on her Facebook page in July, despite earlier stating she was unaware of the communications until December. She denied directing Tasracing to send the message or statements.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff characterized the use of Tasracing resources for this purpose as "unacceptable."
Background to the Incident
The TasInsure policy was announced by Premier Rockliff on July 2, 2025, as a response to rising insurance premiums. Tasracing began preparing communications the same day, with a public relations consultant drafting the message for CEO Andrew Jenkins.
Labor leader Josh Willie formally requested more action from Premier Rockliff, describing the incident as an "egregious breach" of caretaker conventions.
Caretaker conventions are guidelines aimed at ensuring an apolitical stance from state service agencies during an election period, maintaining impartiality during sensitive political times.