Embattled trainer Kate Goodrich claims Racing Victoria has “destroyed her” and asked Fair Work Australia to place a “stop bullying order” against Racing Victoria CEO Bernard Saundry on Tuesday.

Goodrich claims the inaction of RV in dealing with her bullying case has left her with no alternative but to take action against Saundry. She claims Saundry has done nothing to address the findings of an independent investigation, which found she had been “bullied” and subject to “threatening behaviour” while training horses at Kilmore.

The independent investigation, commissioned by RV, also found a suspension of Goodrich by the Kilmore Racing Club to be “flawed, unjustifiable and did not withstand scrutiny”.

“They have destroyed me,” Goodrich said. “Looking at these horses just breaks my heart. I’ve got to the point where I will have to sell everything.”

Goodrich said Saundry has been in possession of the independent report for 10 months, but “has done nothing”. She said the bullying was continuing.

“For three years I haven’t been provided with a safe workplace,” Goodrich said.

“Racing Victoria is not going to handle it – they just go around and around in circles.

“I need someone to come in and make a ruling on the investigation.”

RV declined to discuss spec...

Victoria’s independent racing integrity commissioner Sal Perna has confirmed a meeting with embattled trainer Kate Goodrich will take place next week.

Perna wants to understand if his department has any jurisdiction that may assist in accelerating a suitable outcome in Goodrich’s long-running bullying battle with Racing Victoria and the Kilmore Racing Club.

But Perna is still to receive a copy from RV of the independent FBIS International report that they commissioned themselves that found the KRC’s decision to suspend her from training in 2013 was “flawed and unjustified”.

The FBIS report confirmed Goodrich’s allegations of bullying and threatening behaviour by the KRC were "sustained in the context of the Fair Work Australia Ombudsman definition".

“I have been dealing with Kate via email and letters receiving information about her issues with Racing Victoria,” Perna told G1X.com.au.

“At this stage I need to be able to make a decision whether this falls under my jurisdiction. These issues complained about may be integrity related in a broad sense or legislative – two different things. The best way to gauge is to sit down properly and find out exactly what has happened.”

Asked about the FBIS report, Perna suggested it could be “part of the puzzle” but said RV had provided his office with plenty of information on the Goodrich case.

But Perna noted that Goodrich’s engagement with Work Safe Australia was a significant part of his interest.

“They are always complex issues but it boils down to accountability and responsibility and we need to work through this to see if my department can assist Kate in this matter," Perna said. 

RV refused to discuss the FBIS report and why Perna’s department hadn’t received it, saying it had attempted to negotiate an outcome with Goodrich to no satisfaction and that discussions were ongoing.

“Since receipt of the investigator’s draft report, RV has made multiple and comprehensive representations to Ms Goodrich on behalf of the industry to facilitate a resolution of her dispute with KRC, however Ms Goodrich has not entertained those," RV CEO Bernard Saundry said.

"Those representations remain confidential and we do not intend to discuss them publicly. 

“Likewise, we do not intend to comment on any discussions or correspondence that may have taken place between the racing integrity commissioner and RV on the matter.

It is not a view shared by Goodrich, who suggested any potential outcomes have come with caveats of enforced silence.

“I feel worthless. I have nowhere to train, my stable is decimated and I am being run out of the industry even though it is acknowledged that I have been bullied and unfairly treated,” Goodrich said.

“As bad as the bullying case has been what really hurts is the covering up of the report via confidentiality and the zero action that has taken place to rectify the matter or meaningfully and respectfully deal with my position, and it starts at the top.

“This has been three years of hell and what’s changed? It’s about time all of this was put out openly on the table.

“I’m not doing this for money, it’s about accountability. Those who perpetrated these actions against me need to be held responsible for them and dealt with appropriately, they didn’t give a crap about me. The culture of racing needs to change,” Goodrich said.

Goodrich has taken her case to the racing minister Martin Pakula for discussion and awareness as well as Fair Work (subsequently dropped), but G1X.com.au understands that ABC’s 4 Cornersprogram is working her case for a story.

Goodrich told G1X.com.au her stable is down to one owner and she has dropped from providing 108 starters in her 2012-13 season to working just five horse “around the hills” at home.

“I’ve got some well bred young horses here related to Husson Eagle who haven’t been educated as well as Nediym Lass and De Little Engine which may have to go on the market,” Goodrich said.

RV said the KRC had been part of a re-education program in relation to disputes and work place incidents.

“The KRC, under a new chairman and chief executive, has undertaken a series of measures to improve their administrative and dispute resolution processes, as well as enhancements to their operational safety procedures,” Saundry said.

“The KRC has also engaged an independent corporate governance expert to conduct a review of their processes and undertake a training and education program for KRC committee and staff.

“More broadly, RV has been working on a governance education program for country clubs to assist in their management processes. As part of this, new dispute resolution processes have been distributed to country clubs of which a number have already adopted them. These will be further discussed at an upcoming country clubs workshop, as will governance expectations and requirements.”

The Kate Goodrich bullying case is obviously not going anywhere – after three years. Perhaps the Sal Perna intervention will prove positive.