An Inquiry into Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) is calling for public submission and local Tweed Council candidates have spoken out against the industry and the proposal to establish a Greyhound racing track in the Tweed Shire.
The Lismore Greyhound Racing Track was recently closed due to the likelihood of increased flood events yet the industry proposes building new tracks at Chinderah, on land which floods.
‘In 2017 the University of Technology Sydney produced a report, commissioned by the industry which recommended only using straight tracks, as most injuries occur on bends, yet a new round track has been proposed for Chinderah,’ said Animal Justice candidate Susie Hearder.
The budget for the new Greyhound Racetrack at Ipswich in Queensland has blown out from $39.1 million to $85 million of public money.
‘It is outrageous that our tax payer dollars are used to prop up a cruel and dying industry that not only overbreeds, kills and injures thousands of dogs every year but also causes harmful repercussions of gambling on families with mental health, domestic violence and financial stress,’ she told The Echo.
An estimated 18,000 greyhounds are born in Australia each year, with volunteer greyhound rescue charities such as local Friends of the Hound Inc. left to pick up dogs discarded by the industry and often in appalling conditions. They rescue, rehabilitate and place greyhounds into loving homes which often entails large veterinary expenses.
Founder and president, Lisa White said ‘in the lifetime of one greyhound the racing industry has bred over 200,000 dogs. Only 68 per cent went on to be registered for racing. The industry breeds dogs to be discarded. It has been exposed for cruelty and corruption time and time again. The oversupply of greyhounds, upon which this industry is built, is the key issue. No welfare improvement has any meaningful impact in the face of the resulting consistent welfare negligence of too many dogs. Dog racing needs to end.’
Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris says he has appointed experienced mediator and investigator Lea Drake as an Acting Commissioner of the NSW Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission to lead the Inquiry. The purpose of the Drake Inquiry is to ensure a viable and sustainable greyhound racing industry in NSW with the highest standards of integrity and animal welfare.
Yet former Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) Chief Vet Dr Alex Brittan recently said that ‘Until the existing backlog of unrehomed greyhounds is acknowledged and addressed, it is utterly immoral to allow yet more greyhounds to enter this unsustainable morass of exploitation and suffering.’
The CEO of GRNSW consequently resigned after allegations of animal cruelty, corruption, and greyhound deaths, leading to an inquiry. However, the Inquiry is being held by the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission (GWIC) which was also targeted in Dr Brittan’s report.
‘The greyhound racing industry needs to be shut down immediately. Certainly there should be no new race tracks allowed and definitely not in our Tweed shire. Distressingly, the recent report on greyhound racing in NSW shows no improvement at all in the 8 years since the cruel abuse of dogs in the name of entertainment and gambling was first called out,’ said Greens candidate Dr Nola Firth.
Gambling
‘The greyhound racing industry is financially supported by a gambling industry that is the largest per capita in the world and supported by the major political parties. They support an industry where dogs are regularly killed just for having a broken leg and appallingly 71 per cent of greyhounds killed racing on NSW tracks in 2023 suffered fractured legs,’ explained Ms Hearder.
‘It is a terrible business. It is cruel and is supported by big gambling in this country,’ said Independent candidate Meredith Dennis.
‘It has been proven that some trainers still use blooding when they train the greyhounds to race – they use live possums, cats, and rabbits and tie them to the pole to train them. It is so cruel.’
‘Greyhounds are the most beautiful gentle dogs and the last thing this country needs is more gambling. Particularly on cruel large sport. The Labor party is talking about a greyhound course at Chinderah. We thought we had knocked the greyhound track in Tweed on the head but here are the rumors again. It’s absolutely outrageous that the NSW government is spending huge amounts of public money, over $30 million, on this cruel activity. Our government need to take it back to the people. Do we want affordable housing, cost of living relief, better infrastructure or beautiful gentle animals tortured and killed for the amusement of a few cruel gamblers?’
Make submission
Submissions can be made to the Inquiry into Greyhound Racing NSW by Friday 13 September, ahead of the first hearings that will begin on 16 September 2024 at 80 William Street, Sydney. Members of the public and industry participants can make a submission by visiting https://nsw.gov.au/drakeinquiry or emailing [email protected].
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