"THE bookmaking industry in NSW has been under siege for a number of years, mainly due to unfair and unjustifiable restrictions which have been placed on us 'on-course bookmakers'," wrote Tom Waterhouse, in part, to Racenet.

Waterhouse has been working the phones in Melbourne recently but will have a stand at Caulfield on Saturday, and reckons he can't afford to return to Sydney. "Unlike the other states, we [in NSW] are denied simple rights such as being able to offer Tote odds, betting back without restrictions and being able to use the internet on course." Being permitted to operate 24/7 also rates a mention. "Instead of trying to grow the industry, the NSW Government has allowed NSW to be the only state with restrictions to protect the TAB - a privatised Victorian-listed company, Tabcorp. The biggest joke is that now even the TAB has started up a pirate corporate bookmaker, identical to those they have been complaining about over the years.

"Instead of increasing fees, NSW should be looking at becoming more attractive and lowering taxes. I have no doubt all these interstate and Northern Territory bookmakers would immediately return to NSW - as in reality most already operate in premises in Sydney or Melbourne but under their NT licence. I think we would hold billions a year and would all be happy to pay the turnover tax to NSW."

FEDS EXPRESS: Racing as it was and will be over the next month should be preserved. The reason for the prosperity has been the bookmaker-tote balance. Britain has festered due to bookmaker domination.

Bookmakers betting on a tote "product" is a diabolical liberty. Much of the argument submitted by Tom Waterhouse - in particular, that "a strong bookmakers' ring will ensure a vibrant and successful NSW racing industry" - I agree with, but not bookmakers offering tote-type bets. Sure, the tote operators in Australia have been given rails runs, perhaps an over-reaction to the fact they are the major funding source of the industry.

Still, at least Luxbet, Tabcorp's Northern Territory component, is paying the going rate back to racing.

Northern Territory pirates, free-loaders, call them what you will, can hold a fortune over the next month with no present sign of a kickback to the turf. The old SP operators also gave a tremendous service to the punter and were more use to the community but deemed illegal. Obviously chicken-droppings state legislation isn't showing signs of getting racing a fair go. Bring in the Feds.