The head of Australia's only online betting exchange has warned of a "significant threat" to the integrity of racing and sports if new state-based wagering taxes push punters offshore to illegal Asian websites.

South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland have moved to introduce so-called "point-of-consumption" taxes on revenue from digital bets placed in their states, with Victoria and New South Wales soon to follow.

Betfair says new taxes will force it to raise fees to unsustainable levels. The new taxes are in response to long-held concerns that online bookmakers do not face the same level of taxation in Australia that is paid by the TAB.

In a new report being presented to various state government officials, online betting exchange Betfair, owned by James Packer's Crown Resorts, argues that SA and WA's tax rates of 15 per cent are set too high and would force it to raise commission fees to unsustainable levels if the rates were replicated nationally.

An unintended effect of the tax, the report claims, would be "leakage" of its customers to illegal offshore operators like the Philippines-based Citibet where gamblers would be able to win better returns.

Betfair chief executive Tim Moore-Barton said the leakage would cause an integrity "black hole", as betting activity through illegal offshore operators was unable to be tracked.

"We provide racing stewards and sporting bodies real-time access to our data to look for anomalies in betting patterns," Mr Moore-Barton said.

"This transparency is lost and not available when people bet offshore."

Betfair, which has about 20,000 active monthly customers, operates like a stock exchange by linking gamblers who have opposing views about the outcome of a horse race or sports event to bet against each other.

Mr Moore-Barton said Betfair was aware of numerous examples of professional punters who had moved their betting activity to illegal offshore wagering operators after Betfair hiked commissions to cover product-fee increases.

"They might have an algorithm or an edge on a product and are consistently making money at low margins, then price increases make their models unviable and they suddenly stop betting with us," he said.

"They are not a losing customer who stops because their bank runs out - when we reach out to them, these customers say our fees have become too high and they are moving their money offshore to operators who pay no product fees, GST, wagering or government taxes and can afford to charge lower fees providing higher returns to punters."

The leakage of customers to offshore betting sites also removes all protections for customers and threatens vital revenue for Australian racing and sports bodies, because offshore operators do not pay them fees, the report said.

"Assuming these customers bet via Betfair, this equates to approximately lost product fees to Australian racing bodies of $31 million, and $7 million in lost GST to the federal government," Mr Moore-Barton said.

A number of offshore gambling companies say they no longer accept Australian customers, since a suite of new laws introduced last September included a crackdown on unlicensed operators. Massive new penalties of more than $1 million a day for individuals and more than $5 million a day for organisations now apply to unlicensed operators providing gambling services to Australians.

State governments, pub operators who provide on-site gambling and Australian wagering giant Tabcorp all argue state-based point-of-consumption taxes are crucial to "level the playing field" in the wagering industry.

"We are paying vastly more fees and taxes," Tabcorp chief executive David Attenborough recently said.

"This means they [corporate bookmakers] will start to pay more for offering gambling products in Australia ... and, by its very nature, will at least reduce some of the money they are piling into marketing."

But the taxes are a cause of serious concern to the online corporate bookmakers, such as Betfair, Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, Bet365 and CrownBet, who operate nationally but are licensed in the lower-tax Northern Territory.

Industry insiders say the majority of the online bookmakers would be unable to absorb the added impost in their margins, and are likely to begin a wave of mergers in an effort to stay sustainable. The first will be the Tom Waterhouse-led company William Hill Australia, which has been put up for sale to rivals by its British parent company.

"Every bookmaker in Australia would be looking at William Hill right now," a source at a prominent wagering company said.

Casino giant Crown Resorts is soon to seal a $150 million sale of its share in digital bookmaker CrownBet to a team led by CrownBet' boss Matt Tripp, who is also understood to be weighing merger options.

Corporate bookmakers and racing authorities have recently ramped up efforts to sway Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas to consider online wagering revenue at a lower rate than 15 per cent. A state government spokesman said discussions were continuing.

"Like all states, we continue to look at this issue and are considering feedback received as part of an extensive consultation process," he said.

ON TRACK: Ballarat Turf Club chief executive Lachlan McKenzie celebrates after Racing Victoria announced that Ballarat racecourse would be home to a new all-weather synthetic track. Picture: Lachlan Bence

More horses, more trainers and more jobs is the likely outcome of a new $8 million synthetic race track to be built at Ballarat racecourse.

Racing Victoria announced Ballarat had beaten Geelong and Kilmore as the site of the state’s new all-weather synthetic track.

“From a racing industry perspective this is one of the watershed moments for racing in Ballarat,” said Ballarat Turf Club chief executive Lachlan McKenzie.

When built, it means Ballarat will have the ability to host more than 40 race meetings per year, will never lose a race meet for inclement weather or track conditions, and can expand its current training capacity which is almost full.

Mr McKenzie said the key element was the advantage it gave to trainers.

“This is the fastest growing training centre in Australia, but our trainers are becoming hamstrung for capacity for track work in the morning,” he said. The synthetic track will increase training capacity, allowing for more trainers and more horses to use the Dowling Forest complex.

“Since the announcement I’ve fielded two phone calls from well-established trainers asking about the possibility of moving to Ballarat,” he said.

Mr McKenzie said the racecourse expansion would bring economic benefits right across the Miners Rest community through employment and business growth.

With one full-time job for every four horses that are trained, and the prospect of increasing horse numbers by 200, it is the equivalent of 50 jobs.

“With more horses, more jobs, and more economic activity it means more growth in Miners Rest,” he said.

Council for Miners Rest president Alicia Bond cautiously welcomed the Ballarat synthetic track announcement.

“As a committee we support the equine facility but our only concern would be around increased traffic movement and trucks coming to the area by having the synthetic track,” she said.

“But if it means more trainers coming to the area, or more people and facilities, then that’s something we welcome.”

“This will consolidate employment, with about 200 people who work out there very day now,” he said.

“It is quite a big industry with a series of smaller industries making up the whole. This announcement will enhance that and I would expect that there will be more stables built.”

And he congratulated Ballarat Turf Club on their success.

“From a council perspective all congratulations to them for having the capacity to make a bid and win the money. We are pleased they are able to go to the next stage of development,” Cr Tillett said.

Movement toward legal sports betting hit a fever pitch during the first part of 2018. No fewer than a dozen states introduced or reintroduced legislation that would legalize some form of sports gambling.

All of the activity happened while the Supreme Court was considering whether to strike down the partial federal sports betting ban contained in the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). The case pits the state of New Jersey against the NCAA, NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB, and if the Garden State prevails, it could grease the wheels for even more states to enter the fray.

Simply put, the political environment for sports betting legalization has seen a seismic shift of late.

To measure the change in the landscape, ESPN Chalk ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of how likely it is for each jurisdiction to join Nevada in offering a full scale of legal sports betting options.

Last updated on Feb. 21, 2018.

Already there

1. Nevada

The only state to permit a wide variety of legal sports betting, Nevada is a mature market that has existed for decades. Many states might look to Nevada for the best practices in the regulation of sports betting. If cross-state sports bets were found to be permitted under federal law, Nevada could even be designated as a national hub of sorts, via agreements with other states on topics such as oversight, liquidity, line monitoring and risk management.

Imminent

2. New Jersey

Existing casinos and racetracks could probably start offering legal sports betting to customers within days or weeks of a favorable decision from the Supreme Court. One sportsbook in Monmouth Park already has been built and is just waiting to open its ticket counters. Other casinos in the state have announced plans to build sports books in existing Atlantic City locations too.

3. Delaware

The state moved to expand its existing sports betting options in 2009, but that effort was stopped by a lawsuit filed against the state by the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA and MLB. The Delaware enabling law could be restarted, with the state's lottery already offering parlay betting options on professional football. State officials have expressed an openness to pursue various options after the Supreme Court rules.

On-deck circle

4-9. Connecticut, Iowa, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia

All of these states either already have enacted state laws to allow sports betting if permitted by the Supreme Court or have fast-tracked legislation, with hearings already having taken place and, in some cases, advanced beyond the committee stage.

Moving toward legalization

10-22. California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and South Carolina

Each state has introduced kick-starter legislation (or publicly announced plans to do so), with hearings and votes on the bills moving forward at different speeds.

Existing laws that could be expanded

23-24. Oregon and Montana

Both states have laws on the books that permit some form of sports betting and probably could be widened in scope, if lawmakers are so inclined. The Oregon Lottery offered its pick 'em-style game for years before mothballing it about a decade ago. The Montana Lottery currently offers a fantasy-type sports pool for football and auto racing.

No legalization activity ... yet

25-50. Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., Washington State, Wisconsin and Wyoming

All states in this category have laws that prohibit Nevada-style sports betting. Such laws would need to be repealed or amended before full-scale sports wagering would be permitted. These states do not have any publicly announced bills devoted to sports betting legalization.

Unlikely

51. Utah

Utah's anti-gambling stance is written into the state's constitution. Any change to existing state policy toward gambling would be a massive departure from decades of opposition to any form of gambling, including lottery tickets, table games and sports betting.

VISION: The Bendigo Jockey Club is developing a plan to increase the number of horses trained on its White Hills track. Picture: DARREN HOWE

PLANS for a multi-million dollar expansion of training facilities at the White Hills racecourse are being development by Bendigo Jockey Club.

The proposal, which BJC chief executive officer Aaron Hearps says is in the very early stages, aims to significantly increase the number of horses trained at the track.

“Our numbers are currently at about 140 to 150 horses trained here, but we are looking to grow that to about 250 over the next couple of years,” Hearps said.

“Part of that plan is we are looking to build a new stable complex on course within the racecourse grounds.

“It’s pretty early stages at the moment. We have some local trainers in Shaun Dwyer and Paul Banks, who is now on the committee, getting some maps together and drawing how many boxes we can fit in.

“And we’re looking at having some treadmills and walkers and those sorts of things in there.”

The new facility would be situated to the right of the current racecourse entrance on Heinz Street.

Costings and more detailed plans are expected to be formulated in the first half of 2018, with existing trainers to be given an option of moving their bases to the new facility.

Hearps said it was hoped the development would lure a few new trainers to the region.

“We might be able to look at some Caulfield trainers or some trainers from South Australia, who seem to be jumping the border a bit at the moment,” he said.

“In terms of Caulfield, it doesn’t sound like their training facilities are going to be open well into the future, so there might be a few looking to relocate over the next five years.

“Our timing might work in quite well.

“Something the committee and I have been looking at is we haven’t had a good Group type horse here in Bendigo for a  while, but we’ve got great training facilities and we are well located, so how do we look to rectify that?

“So we are taking steps to address that.

“Our track manager Bernard Hopkins assures me were up around 250 horses  not too long ago and he thinks we can comfortably get back up to that.”

The BJC has prioritised an upgrade of the inside grass training track as its major capital works program for 2018.

It comes 18 months after a $1.1 million refurbishment of its sand track –  jointly funded by the club, state government and industry – which has won rave reviews from local trainers.


DECEMBER 22 2017 
http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/5137025/bjc-eyes-expansion-of-training-facilities/

Ballarat Turf Club has launched a bid to become the state’s newest synthetic racing venue, with plans to construct a new track that would cost in the vicinity of $9 million.

The club is awaiting the findings of Racing Victoria’s synthetic racing review, which are expected to determine if its submission is successful.

Plans seen by The Courier show a proposed all-weather circuit spanning just over 1900m that would replace the club’s current inner grass track. The outer turf track would remain, giving the club the option of racing on both synthetic and grass surfaces throughout the year.

A key part to the BTC’s push for a new track is its proximity to most major training centres in the state.

On top of race days, the facility would also be used extensively for training and help ease the strain on the club’s current resources that have been stretched due to the surge in horse population.

BTC figures show that the amount of horses trained at the complex has risen from 300 to 530 in the last four years. This is largely due to an influx of trainers moving to the area.

The proposed synthetic track is highlighted in blue and orange, with the turf track shown in green.

“We are now at a point where we are struggling to meet the demand for trackwork surfaces each morning, particularly in the wetter months,” Ballarat Turf Club chief executive Lachlan McKenzie said.

“If our bid to install a synthetic track is successful, the issue of capacity for trackwork will be resolved immediately and the growth in trainers and horse numbers in Ballarat will continue to flourish.”

With a synthetic track, McKenzie said the club could accommodate more than 40 race meetings per season, regardless of weather conditions.

“The installation of a synthetic racecourse would be a watershed moment for the Ballarat Turf Club,” he told The Courier.

“This would be one of the pivotal developments in the club’s history and would cement Ballarat as one of the leading racing and training centres.”

The all-weather surfaces mimic turf tracks, but are less responsive to the climate.

Pakenham and Geelong are the current synthetic racing venues in Victoria.


Travelling time (Melb to Ballarat):
1 h 34 min (116.6 km) via National Highway M8

Three of the big four banks will start rolling out a near real-time payment system from Tuesday, as the biggest overhaul of payments infrastructure in two decades is launched to the public.

Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and National Australia Bank said that from Tuesday, they would start offering customers the ability to make money transfers that will settle within less than a minute, compared with today, where it can take up to three days for funds to arrive.

Three of the big four banks will start rolling out the new payments platform to customers from Tuesday. The new system also allows customers to transfer money to an external account without entering a BSB or account number.

ANZ Bank, however, is not launching the service to its customers yet, saying it is continuing with "rigorous testing" of the new system, to ensure customers got the "best possible and safest experience." ANZ would announce how it will rollout the fast payment system to its customers in the coming weeks, a spokesman said.

As well, some of the other major banks that are launching the new system on Tuesday will not make all of its features available to all of their customers straight away.

In the case of NAB, it will be a staggered rollout, that will result in all of its customers having access to the new system, known as the new payments platform, over the coming month.

"Within the next month, all NAB customers will be able to create and use PayID through their Mobile Banking App, Internet Banking, and NAB Connect," said Rachel Slade, executive general manager of deposits and transaction services.

Westpac is also only initially launching the NPP to some of its customers - those in the Westpac-branded bank.

It will roll out the new payments platform to other brands, such as St George, Bank of Melbourne, and BankSA, "over time," a spokeswoman said.

"Westpac’s approach has always been to deliver a safe, secure and reliable transition for customers and the industry,” the bank said.

CBA's spokeswoman said the new service would be available to customers from day one. "Commonwealth Bank customers can now send and receive payments in real time with other financial institutions through the New Payments Platform which launches today," she said.

As well as faster payments, the NPP also promises to allow consumers to transfer cash to a person or business without entering in the recipients BSB or account number.

Instead, consumers will be able to create a "PayID" - which allows customers to link their bank account to an email address, phone number, or business number, for example. The service allowing consumers to make faster payments using their "PayID" has the brand name "Osko."

The NPP is a $1 billion project, launched with support of the Reserve Bank, which has involved revamping the infrastructure that facilitates millions of payments between consumers and businesses.

“We know that Australians are frustrated about the amount of time it takes to move money between accounts at different banks, which can sometimes be as long as two to three days," the chief executive of NPP Australia, Adrian Lovney, said.

Mr Lovney said the NPP was not being launched as a "big bang" because its impact would be felt across the economy.

"We're estimating that by the end of the ramp-up period... 80 per cent of Australians' accounts will be connected," he said.

RACING figures doped champion horses in some of Australia’s biggest races — possibly including the Melbourne Cup — according to explosive texts obtained by the Herald Sun.

Secret exchanges uncovered by integrity investigators indicate two Cup horses were doping targets in 2015, while up to six other horses in support races on the same day may have been illegally treated.

The texts lift the lid on how a group of trainers and stable staff are alleged to have evaded Racing ­Victoria’s security network for years to dope horses with performance-enhancing sodium bicarbonate.

In one bombshell exchange, trainer Liam Birchley and stablehand Greg Nelligan discuss using “top-ups” — believed to be a reference to a slurry of bicarbonate and other substances often administered within minutes of competition.

The practice is an extreme violation of racing rules.

“Can u org a top up for tomorrow pls,” Birchley texts on Cup eve.

Nelligan responds “Roberts (top trainer Robert Smerdon) ordered 5, I’ll need a wheelbarrow to carry them all”, before Birchley quips “You’ve got deep pockets”.

Trainer Robert Smerdon studies his phone at Caulfield trackwork last October. He faces 115 charges relating to the doping scandal

Nelligan then appears to reference doping two horses due to run in the Cup, texting: “I’ll be walking funny, got two cup horses as well. Don’t tell Robert.”

“Mercenary!” Birchley says, adding: “Which ones we backing.” Nelligan texts: “Robert had me do one for the guy with the cup horses a few years ago so it’s not out of the circle of trust but I still don’t tell him.”

The exchanges provide the first real insight into one of the biggest ­alleged scams in racing history.

There is also evidence Smerdon’s VRC Oaks winner Mosheen was illegally treated on racecourses before contesting Group 1 races.

And Smerdon’s champion hurdler Black And Bent is under scrutiny after major race wins in 2011-12.

Both horses are named in text messages.

Black And Bent (blue) runs down Desert Master (grey) on his way to winning the Galleywood Hurdle.The alleged conspirators even jokingly lament at one stage about how it is “hard to cheat” in Japan.

Smerdon, Birchley and Greg Nelligan, trainers Tony Vasil, Stuart Webb and Mornington’s Trent Pennuto, stable employee Danny Garland and office worker Denise Nelligan were last month charged with a total of 271 racing offences dating back to 2010 over the alleged scam.

All are charged with engaging “in a practice that was dishonest, corrupt or fraudulent” in that they were “party to the administration of alkalinising agents and/or medications to a horse or horses on race day”.

Sodium bicarbonate — also known in racing circles as “milkshakes” or bicarb — is the substance the accused are alleged to have illegally administered on race morning and again at the track.

Once on course, the horses were allegedly given “top-ups”.

It is illegal for horses to be treated one clear day before racing. The alleged doping was being carried out within an hour of competition.

Mosheen, ridden by jockey Danny Nikolic, wins the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in 2012.In one text exchange between Smerdon and Greg Nelligan before 2011’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas, Smerdon appears to instruct Nelligan on timing and dosage.

“Does Mosheen have a guard?” Nelligan asks.

“No. Want to topup her and Stoneblack only,” Smerdon texts.

This prompts Nelligan to respond “Will do”, then “50 mins ok s Black.”

“Only if they’ve tested him otherwise wait until 40 when the previous is due to be run,” Smerdon says.

“No test will wait.” Nelligan confirms, before saying “Mosheen tested at 2 hours, go 40 again?”

“I’d say go whenever you like,” Smerdon concludes.

Mosheen finished second to filly Atlantic Jewel.

Mosheen and jockey Danny Nikolic return to scale after winning the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.All of the accused have links, past or present, to Aquanita Racing, whose board currently includes businessman Peter Howell and Melbourne Racing Club chairman Mike Symons. There is no suggestion that either Howell or Symons had knowledge of any alleged doping.

The Aquanita inquiry stems from float driver Greg Nelligan’s alleged attempt to illegally treat Smerdon-trained mare Lovani at Flemington on October 7 last year.

Nelligan was caught allegedly administering a “top-up” to Lovani with a modified syringe as champion mare Winx paraded before the Turnbull Stakes.

Racing integrity officers claim those involved became so proficient at avoiding detection they were able to dope horses within 40 minutes of competition, despite the presence of integrity officials and CCTV.

They would then back the treated horses.

Smerdon, Webb, Danny Garland and Denise Nelligan voluntarily stood down from their roles last month as Aquanita Racing was rebranded Neerim Lodge.

Birchley and Vasil have been conditionally ­allowed to continue training.

Racing Victoria said it had no comment given that the investigation was continuing.

The publication of text messages relating to the Aquanita inquiry, which show that horses were being treated with illegal substances in the 24 hours leading up to their races and being "topped up" on the day, leaves the door open for a Victoria Police investigation.

The text messages, reportedly discovered by integrity investigators and published by News Corp, reveal how trainers and stable staff doped horses on race days and avoided integrity officials.

According to reports, the text messages include some sent by Liam Birchley and Greg Nelligan, two of the eight current and former Aquanita employees facing charges from Racing Victoria.

Earlier this year, Birchley, Nelligan, Robert Smerdon, Tony Vasil, Stuart Webb, Denise Nelligan, Trent Pennuto and Daniel Garland were charged over raceday treatments dating back to 2010. The charges related to more than 100 treatments. Smerdon, Webb, Garland and Greg and Denise Nelligan have all voluntarily stood down from their roles. Pennuto has been disqualified. Vasil and Birchley have agreed that they will not race horses in Victoria pending the outcome of the inquiry.

Aquanita has since been renamed Neerim Lodge.

Messages reportedly between trainer Birchley and stablehand Greg Nelligan on Melbourne Cup eve implicate Smerdon in ordering five top-ups and Nelligan allegedly told Birchley he himself had "two cup horses as well".

Other messages allegedly show Smerdon instructing Nelligan to top up Mosheen, a VRC Oaks winner, before a Group 1 race in 2011. Smerdon and Nelligan discuss avoiding testing on the horse.

Fairfax Media spoke on Wednesday morning to a number of parties who were outraged the sensitive information had been made public.

Robert Smerdon has stood down since charges were laid aganst him by Racing Victoria. Photo: AAPSources say police must now become involved because gambling punters and owners have been frauded. An investigation will be expanded for other information and may go overseas.

Some of the most high-profile racers in Australia have been tarnished and winners and placegetters may be demoted and the prizemoney returned to the new winners.

Its effect will be widespread because not only have punters lost their money, prizemoney would have be to reallocated and the breeding profile of some of Australia's best horses would have to be adjusted.

Police will investigate the systematic doping of and gambling on horses at Aquanita Racing over the past eight years.

Chairman of Aquanita Racing Peter Howell and board member Mike Symons, who is also the chairman of Melbourne Racing Club, were unavailable for comment.

There is no suggestion either Howell or Symons had knowledge of any doping.

However, Fairfax Media has been contacted by a group urging Symons to stand down as he is the chairman of the second-biggest racing club in Victoria, they believe there is a conflict of interest.

The investigation was sparked in early October last year when employees of Aquanita Racing were discovered treating three-year-old filly Lovani in the swabbing stall of Flemington just 10 minutes before the world's finest race mare, Winx, started in the Turnbull Stakes.

Explosive text messages relating to the Aquanita inquiry have been made public by the Herald Sun, revealing conversations between those involved in the alleged doping scheme.

Splashed across the front page of the leading Melbourne metropolitan newspaper on Wednesday, the text messages show communication from trainers such as Robert Smerdon and Liam Birchley to Aquanita staff member Greg Nelligan, who is alleged to have conducted illegal race day treatments.

The Aquanita inquiry is not due to be heard at the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board until April 30 but the leaked text messages provide a glimpse of how the group communicated while trying to hide the alleged activity.

Multiple Group 1 winner Mosheen is a horse who features heavily in the text messages, with Nelligan asking whether she has a guard and Smerdon replying: "No. Want to topup her and Stoneblack only."

A directions hearing was conducted on February 6, outlining the eight trainers and staff members involved: Smerdon, Birchley, Nelligan, Tony Vasil, Stuart Webb, Denise Nelligan, Trent Pennuto and Danny Garland.

The combined group face a total of 271 charges for their involvement in the alleged raceday treatment scandal.

RAD Board Chairman Judge Bowman said at the directions hearing that 'this will potentially be the biggest racing inquiry I can remember, given the number of charges and number of people involved'.

A second directions hearing is set to take place on March 1.

You know things are getting back to normal at Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media when the focus can finally move from Tim Worner’s sex life to the company’s woeful performance.

The bedraggled stock rebounded strongly from record lows on Tuesday as Seven West cancelled its dividend - for the first time as a listed stock - announced more cost cutting, and promised it will retake the revenue share crown from Nine Entertainment.

"We are very unhappy with this result and have taken appropriate steps," Worner told reporters and analysts on the earnings conference call Tuesday morning.

They are one big happy family at Seven West. In fact, the only people leaving are the ones being sacked to help pay for Seven's AFL and Tennis rights and offset its declining revenue.

Is Worner going to stay when his current employment contract nominally expires in June?

“I certainly do, I’m fired up,” he said.A spokesman confirmed that "the board’s intent is to continue his contract on a rolling basis."

And how about the staff whose heads will roll for the greater good? Executives are talking about $25 million worth of staff cuts at the Seven Network alone - which adds up to hundreds of staff cuts across the media group when the slash and burn at the West Australian and its magazine group are included.

And what should we make of those reports that Stokes is finally looking to end his love affair with the ever-challenged media sector and offload his stake in Seven West.

Wests Tigers chair Marina Go with new coach Ivan Cleary. Photo: Edwina Pickles“He’s never said anything like that to me, so really it’s a question for him,” said Worner a little less confidently.

At least Worner escaped the teleconference with no direct mention of his former lover, Amber Harrison.
The closest he got was a question about any issues with its HR policy that might prevent any further incidents.

‘‘I think we have definitely stressed our human resources policy, but actually, we found that they were fine,’’ Worner said.