The Canberra Liberals have voted against the Greens’ ridiculous amendment to the ACT Budget to stop funding to the horse racing industry.

Shadow Minister for Gaming and Racing Mark Parton said the Canberra Liberals stand alongside all those in the racing community and steadfastly support this line of spending in the budget.

“The Greens ideological war on this line of spending completely ignores any of the historical context of the funding,” Mr Parton said.

“It completely ignores the fact that when the government sold ACTTAB to Tabcorp that there was a steadfast promise to the racing codes to continue with a similar level of funding in the years ahead.

“At a time when this government’s coffers are being bolstered enormously by the point of consumption gaming tax, a tax which has just been severely increased by this government, it’s ludicrous to suggest that some of that money should not be distributed back to the racing codes.

“The Greens have a vision of how all of us should live, they have a vision of the pastimes that we should enjoy and of the way that we should go about our lives. They wish to stop the rest of us doing the things that give us joy, if those things don’t align with their values.

“The vast majority of those involved in the racing industry in this town are minimum wage battlers. They’re salt of the earth people who often are working a number of jobs to try to pay the rent and put food on the table.

“These are the people who would be most hurt by this line of spending being struck out of the budget,” Mr Parton concluded.