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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-AU link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><h1>Racing NSW boss Peter V’landys sues ABC, Caro Meldrum-Hanna over 7.30 investigation<o:p></o:p></h1><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/8eff31fe140cd24ddc7fa297e3adfbc8"><span style='color:blue;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=650 height=365 style='width:6.7708in;height:3.802in' id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D5F0D9.9BAD8F30" alt="Peter V’Landys agreed to appear in the program to respond to claims on behalf of Racing NSW, saying no horses in the state were being sent to abattoirs. Picture: ABC"></span></a>Peter V’Landys agreed to appear in the program to respond to claims on behalf of Racing NSW, saying no horses in the state were being sent to abattoirs. Picture: ABC<o:p></o:p></p><h2 style='margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;font-weight:normal'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/Brad+Norington">Brad Norington</a><o:p></o:p></h2><p class=story-infobyline style='margin-left:36.0pt'>ASSOCIATE EDITOR<o:p></o:p></p><p class=story-infobyline style='margin-left:36.0pt'><a href="http://twitter.com/BradNorington" target="_blank">@BradNorington</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=story-infobyline style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><ul type=disc><li class=story-infotimestamp style='mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1'>21 minutes ago March 2, 2020<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=selectionshareable>Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys is suing the ABC and one of its journalists for defamation over a 7.30 investigation in 2019 involving serious allegations of cruelty to horses in the thoroughbred racing industry.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>According to documents lodged with the Federal Court, Mr V’landys claims he was “greatly injured” by his portrayal in the program, and his reputation was brought into “public disrepute, ridicule and contempt”.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>The 7.30 story The Final Race, reported by Caro Meldrum-Hanna and aired in October, alleged hundreds of former racehorses were sent to abattoirs. It showed disturbing undercover video footage of animal cruelty.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>Mr V’Landys agreed to appear in the program to respond to claims on behalf of Racing NSW, saying no horses in the state were being sent to abattoirs.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>His legal team, headed by barrister Bruce McClintock SC, will seek aggravated damages, claiming the ABC acted “dishonestly” by failing to disclose to him undercover video footage obtained in NSW and Queensland that was shown in the program.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>The V’landys legal team will also argue he was not given an opportunity to explain that Racing NSW had no jurisdiction in Queensland, where most of the racehorses sent to slaughter came from.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>A month after The Last Race went to air, Racing NSW chairman Russell Balding, a former managing director of the ABC, filed an official complaint with the national broadcaster, alleging “serious and numerous breaches of the ABC’s statutory duties, editorial policies and code of practice”. Mr Balding’s complaint covered 15 issues and alleged errors in the 7.30 program, including the circumstances of the interview with Mr V’landys.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>The complaint was also highly critical of the program’s timing, arguing it was scheduled to have maximum impact before The Everest race at Randwick and the Melbourne Cup.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>The ABC’s audience and consumer affairs unit cleared 7.30 and Meldrum-Hanna, finding no breach of editorial standards. An ABC spokesman said in January there was “no substance to the … complaint and it also contained inaccurate statements and erroneous claims”.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>Immediately after the program aired, Mr V’Landys unequivocally condemned the “alleged abhorrent actions of the Meramist Queensland abattoir” where acts of animal cruelty were shown. He said the vision was “sickening and horrendous” and called on the Queensland government to take the strongest possible action.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>He also said Racing NSW was the only state with a “Rule of Racing” that prohibited horses being sent to a knackery or abattoir if they had been predominantly domiciled in the NSW industry. Documents from his legal team say it will be argued the 7.30 investigation implied Mr V’Landys “callously permitted the wholesale slaughter of thoroughbred horses”.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=selectionshareable>An ABC spokeswoman said the broadcaster “will defend the proceedings”.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>