Racing Victoria has announced new appointments to the RV Integrity Council.

The RV Integrity Council provides independent expert advice to the RV Board and RV Integrity Department on racing integrity policy, rule and enforcement issues.

The five-person RV Integrity Council now comprises the following members:

1. Hon. Justice Jack Forrest – Independent Chair

• Justice Forrest is the principal judge of the common-law division of the Supreme Court. A licensed owner-trainer for 12 years, he has been a member of the RV Integrity Council since 2014 and is a Director of Racing Analytical Services Limited;

2. Hon. Peter Young QC – Independent Member

• Mr Young is currently a member of Monash University’s Governing Council and Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee. He previously served as a Judge of the Family Court of Australia and as Chairman of the Melbourne Racing Club;

3. Hayden Opie AM – Independent Member

• Mr Opie is a sports law specialist who founded the University of Melbourne’s Sports Law Program. He is a member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport and served on the Australian Government’s Anti-Doping Rule Violation Panel;

4. Kate Joel - Racing Victoria Director Member

• Ms Joel is a former Deputy Chair of Harness Racing Victoria and former Director of Racing Analytical Services Limited who has served on the RV Integrity Council since 2014, including a recent term as Chair;

5. Sharon McCrohan - Racing Victoria Director Member

• Ms McCrohan has a career spanning almost 30 years as a journalist and senior adviser to Federal and State Government leaders and cabinets, private sector boards, sporting bodies, charities and government agencies.

These appointments have been approved by the Minister for Racing, as required under RV’s Local Rules of Racing.

RV Chairman, Brian Kruger, welcomed the appointments and said the new members would play a vital role in the governance of integrity within the state.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome such highly credentialed independent members as Peter Young QC and Hayden Opie AM to the Racing Victoria Integrity Council, and to have the equally esteemed Justice Jack Forrest assume the role of Chairman,” Mr Kruger said.