Court delays harness racing safety case to July 2027
A harness racing company's workplace safety hearing has been adjourned to July 2027, nearly 18 months after it began.
A Launceston Magistrates Court hearing into harness racing company Ben Yole Racing began in January 2026. Only two of several witnesses had testified by the end of day four.
The hearing was adjourned in September for an unforeseen reason. The hearing will now resume July 5 to 16, 2027.
The case centres on a January 2023 car crash near Sidmouth when five young employees were returning from a race meeting in Hobart with a horse float. Four horses in the float died; two instantly, two were euthanised.
The company has pleaded not guilty to four health and safety charges but guilty to failing to notify WorkSafe Tasmania of the incident. The central question is whether the company gave employees adequate rest breaks and fatigue briefings before the long drive.
- January 27, 2026
- Hearing started
- January 2023
- Crash date
- Near Sidmouth
- Crash location
- 4 (2 instantly, 2 euthanised)
- Horses killed
Why it mattersThe 18-month delay means the workers and company have to wait years for the court to resolve whether workplace safety failures led to the crash.
AustraliaThe case highlights how slowly the Tasmanian legal system processes workplace safety disputes, leaving injured employees in limbo for years.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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