New RWWA chairman appointed

• Jeff Ovens appointed chairman of Racing and Wagering Western Australia
• Ross Bowe retires after four terms and a decade at helm

Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA), the WA racing industry’s governing body, is to get a new chairman – just its second since it was formed almost 10 years ago.

Racing and Gaming Minister Terry Waldron today announced current RWWA board member Jeff Ovens would become the new chairman when incumbent, Ross Bowe, stepped down on January 31, 2013 at the end of his fourth term.

Mr Waldron said he was pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Ovens.

“Mr Ovens brings a wealth of high-level business skills and experience to the board and I am very pleased he has accepted the position,” he said.

The Minister paid tribute to Ross Bowe who was appointed chairman when RWWA was first established in 2003.

“Ross was RWWA’s inaugural chairman and much of its success during that period is due to his exceptional leadership,” he said.

“I congratulate Ross on this contribution and, on a personal level, it has been great working with him since I became Minister for Racing and Gaming.

Fact File

• Liberal-National Govt approved wagering tax concession to RWWA so it could target the high-value professional punter market in Australia and overseas
• This concession, recently extended for five years, has enabled RWWA to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new wagering turnover