Acting QRIC Commissioner and former top cop Mark Ainsworth announces his retirment

The hunt has started for a new racing integrity boss in Queensland with Mark Ainsworth, the former top cop in the high-profile Baden-Clay murder investigation, announcing his retirement.

It will be the second major departure from the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission in six months after Ross Barnett left as QRIC Commissioner last December to head a team investigating alleged murders of Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian soldiers.

Ainsworth was then handed the baton as the Acting QRIC Commissioner and was at the forefront of new integrity measures such as hair testing of racing animals.

Ainsworth is best known in Queensland for leading one of the most high-profile murder investigations the state has seen which resulted in Gerard Baden-Clay being jailed for the 2012 murder of his wife Allison.

On Tuesday, he advised Queensland Racing Minister Grace Grace of his retirement and will finish work with QRIC on July 2.

“After 41 years in the police and QRIC I have decided to retire and spend some time with my family and do things I want to do,” Ainsworth said.

“I been exposed to a lot and more importantly, I have learned a lot and made some great friends.

“I would like to thank all Commission staff for their work during my time at the Commission.

“The passion and goodwill of Commission staff is second to none and the commitment to ensure racing goes ahead is amazing.”

QRIC said the recruitment process for a new integrity boss is underway and a replacement will be announced as soon as possible.

Originally published asSearch begins for new Queensland integrity boss

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