Protestors rally to re-instate greyhound racing ban.

By Michaela Morgan

Over a thousand people gathered at Martin Place on Sunday to protest Premier Mike Baird’s greyhound racing ban reversal.

Opponents of the Baird government waved signs that read ‘No more chances’ and ‘Gentle dogs sacrificed for greed’.

The rally was organised by Greens MP Dr Mehreen Faruqi who said the evidence of animal cruelty within the greyhound racing industry was “overwhelming, systemic, widespread and heart wrenching.”

“We will not tolerate any more of it and we will not stop until we shut down this industry,”  she told the crowd.

Emma Hurst from Animal Liberation repeated statements Mr Baird made about greyhound racing when he announced the ban in August this year.

“Baird said that 79 recommendations would need to be put in place and even then, it was unlikely this industry could reform. He said that mistreatment and deception ran too deep and that regulations had been tried and failed consistently.”

Ms Hurst voiced disappointment that Mr Baird did not maintain this position.

“Because of the pressure of a couple of media shock jocks, the gambling industry and the Labor party, Baird crumbled.”

Lyn White, the Campaign Director for Animals Australia spoke at the rally and said that immense progress had been made despite Premier Baird’s decision to repeal the Greyhound Racing Prohibition bill.

“Just consider for a moment where greyhound racing was two years ago and where it is today. There is a very good reason why the industry didn’t celebrate Mike Baird’s backflip. And why they are still whinging and whining.

Ms White acknowledged that even though the repeal of the bill had been confirmed, the industry was still concerned about the effect of the new restrictions on its long term viability.

“Baird hasn’t saved them from extinction, he has only extended their death throes. And we are going to make that death happen as soon as we possibly can.”

Mark Pearson, NSW MLC for the Animal Justice Party said there were still graves to be dug up, and that he would fight to continue to reveal the sinister side of this industry.

Mr Pearson said that Greyhound Racing NSW had been ordered to send over 170 boxes of documents to Parliament.

“A whole batch of documents which they don’t want you to see, they didn’t want the government to see.

“Mehreen and I and other members have access to many of those documents. I believe that within those documents, we will find the final nails to put into the coffin to render this industry to the scrap heap of history where it belongs.”

Dr Faruqi mentioned that the ban on greyhound racing is still on and legislative measures to repeal the bill will not be in place until next year.

“So we have time to keep the pressure on. We know that polling shows that the majority of people in NSW want a ban on greyhound racing nationally, ” she said.

Dr Faruqi said she wants to make animal cruelty history and urged opponents of greyhound racing to write to their MPs, to Premier Mike Baird and opposition leader Luke Foley.