By Emily Contador-Kelsall
The Greyhound racing industry has come under fire in the past week, with many demanding review and change within the industry.
Last week the Greyhound Racing NSW Board stepped down following revelations on ABC’s Four Corners of live baiting, mistreatment and cheating within the industry.
In Sydney city, Wentworth Park is the sole greyhound racing ground.
Greens member for Balmain Jamie Parker said the future of greyhound racing is in suspension and it is difficult to know whether the industry will be able to clean up its act.
“It’s clear that the industry regulator has failed, we say that greyhound racing should be suspended and we need to ensure that there is absolutely no chance anything like this can ever happen again,” Mr Parker said.
“The industry has lost all credibility, not only with the public but with the government as well.”
Edwina Lloyd, Labor candidate for Sydney, said greyhound racing authorities face a major challenge to clean up their act, otherwise they risk losing their ‘social license’, and greyhound racing will simply cease to exist.
Greyhound Racing NSW announced the establishment of a taskforce to investigate the extent of live baiting within the NSW greyhound racing industry following the Four Corners investigation.
Minister for Racing Troy Grant said allegations and innuendo have plagued the greyhound racing industry for decades and it’s important the government ends the speculation to ensure the sustainability of the industry and the welfare of animals.
The Four Corners investigation also brought the mistreatment of greyhounds in the industry into the spotlight.
Independent member for Sydney Alex Greenwich said he was not convinced that any regulation could ever guarantee animal welfare when cruelty reaps the biggest profit.
“We already know that thousands of dogs are bred only to be put down because they won’t run fast enough,” Mr Greenwich said.
Mr Parker said these greyhounds are also the victims of live baiting as the greyhounds that have been blooded face disqualification and risk being abandoned and killed.
“There’s a double impact, not only the animal welfare for the defenceless animals being used as live bait but the greyhounds themselves,” Mr Parker said.
Nora Anderson-Dieppe is a volunteer from Greyhound Rescue, a Sydney based charity organisation that finds homes for the racing industry’s greyhound surplus.
Ms Anderson-Dieppe said they are currently taking up to four to five surrenders a week.
“We also have a long waiting list so this does not include those waiting. We take the ‘urgent’ dogs, the ones we have been told will be killed if we cannot find room.”
“The greyhounds we rescue come in varied conditions. Whilst some arrive in a healthy condition, most are underweight, have poor thick dandruff coats, bad teeth, injuries or eye conditions.”
Earlier this year, Labor leader Luke Foley pledged to cut taxes for the racing industry if elected next month. Mr Foley has stuck by the pledge that includes greyhound racing.
The greyhound racing industry in the Sydney region generates $174.8 million annually according to a report by the Office of Liquor, Racing and Gaming.
Alex Greenwich said Labor should withdraw its proposed tax cuts to the industry, and the government should rule out any assistance and commit to ending the suffering.
When questioned about Luke Foley’s decision to stand by greyhound racing tax cuts Labor candidate for Balmain Verity Firth said Labor has announced 60 percent cuts to betting taxes to create jobs and help secure its long-term future but will not accept any of the conduct seen on four Corners.
“Labor will ensure that anyone convicted of live baiting will be banned from the sport of greyhound racing for life,” Ms Firth said.
Mr Parker said the tax cuts are an embarrassment.
“It demonstrates that they are more interested in listening to gaming and racing lobbyists than they are respecting animal welfare or basic humane treatment of animals,” he said.
Ms Lloyd said the issue of gambling taxes have no relevance to the barbaric practices uncovered by Four Corners in greyhound training.
“It has been disappointing that some people have opportunistically used these serious problems in greyhounds to launch a political attack on the broader racing industry by trying to link live baiting to gambling taxes,” she said.
Ms Lloyd also said that NSW Labor strongly opposes live baiting, and has done for almost 100 years.
“Labor wants to see section 21 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 amended to include “kennels” so that accusations of live baiting can be properly investigated by independent authorities,” Ms Lloyd said.
Ms Anderson-Dieppe said the rescue centre hopes that serious action is taken towards all those who undertake such acts of cruelty.
