Labor slams the government following greyhound reform report

LABOR heavyweights Luke Foley and Michael Daley have slammed the government following the release of the NSW Greyhound Industry Reform Panel's report.

Speaking on Thursday, the NSW Opposition Leader and his deputy praised the report itself, but said it has been a long, unnecessary struggle to reach the same conclusions which were obvious last year.

“We are satisfied that this report gives the government all the tools now to embody these principles in ,” Daley said.

“If the legislation embodies the intent of this report, then of course we will be supporting it, but what a shame it had to come to this.

“The Baird and Berejiklian governments have messed this up badly. Michael McHugh gave his report to the government in June last year – they sat on it for a month to get through the federal election and then dropped the sledgehammer on all the good people in the industry.

“If and Gladys Berejiklian had listened to people back in July, we wouldn't have had all this angst and pain.

“Let's not forget that because of this government's mishandling of this issue there are breeders, owners and small businesses who have gone out of business and lost their livelihoods.

“The government has no solution for them and the legislation that prohibits this industry is still on the books.

“We invited the government to give certainty to the industry at the end of last year and repeal the bill and they haven't – its been a farce from the start. Lets hope this is a new beginning for the industry.”

Foley said the report, which made 122 recommendations including the separation of the commercial and regulatory functions of Greyhound (), was in line with the Labor party's stance.

“This report on greyhound racing is an emphatic vindication of the Labor position,” Foley declared.

“We said all along that you have to restructure greyhound racing to put right at the heart of the running of the industry.

“We have been through all this, regional communities, people were put through untold pain and anguish in the government's desire to close down an industry when they could and should have done what the Labor party has been urging since the first week of July.

“Now the expert is recommending to put a dog in place.”

Daley said the new structure of the industry should help to improve the sport moving forward.

“We like what we see, because it puts in place a new cop on the beat if you like – a greyhound industry regulator.

“It's a strong regulator with all the prosecutorial and evidence gathering teeth to make sure that this body does what Labor has called for since July last year.

“We know that the majority of people in the greyhound industry are good and honest people.

“There have been a small number of people who have done the wrong thing and what has now been provided for is what we have been calling for.

“If you do the wrong thing, if you are cruel to your dogs then you should be rubbed out of the industry for life and you should have the book thrown at you.”

Foley was hesitant to say he would support legislation to overturn the intercode agreement, which sees the greyhound racing industry receive just 13 per cent of funds injected back into the industry despite contributing 21.7 per cent towards TAB turnover.

However, Foley did call upon the government to commit to funding the industry moving forward.

“First and foremost, [the intercode is] a matter for negotiation between the industry codes,” he said.

“The proper course of action here is for the industry codes – harness racing, greyhound racing, thoroughbred racing – to sit around the table to talk about these matters and we would encourage them to make an agreement.

“The government was prepared to put up $30 million to close down the industry so I think they ought to be prepared to put up a similar amount of money to keep an important, jobs generating industry going subject to the highest standards of animal welfare.”

Our say

It is great to see the Labor party continuing to support the greyhound industry following the Greyhound Industry Report.

We do hope that the opposition will continue to stick with us moving forward and will support any legislation changes required to give the greyhound industry its fair share of the intercode and tax parity agreements.

If the industry cannot secure the right percentage of funds according to what it contributes towards the TAB turnover, it will place a massive strain on the industry moving forward as it tries to self-fund both the commercial and regulatory arms of the industry.

This money is not about the industry being greedy, it is about securing what we are entitled to in order to ensure the welfare and of greyhound racing in NSW and to ensure participants no longer suffer being treated as 's poor cousin.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
7 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
lone widow
lone widow
7 years ago

I want to make a prediction.

Baird did not announce the ban until after the federal election.  The ban will not be repealed until after the WA election in a few weeks, depending on the results.

Don’t you just hate politicians?

COME ON SPORTSBET WHAT ODDS ON THAT LITTLE NUMBER?

lone widow
lone widow
7 years ago

I meant to say, Baird did not release the commissions report until after the fed election.

BobWhitelaw
BobWhitelaw
7 years ago

Foley has rolled on the back of the Greyhound Industry which has lifted his portfolio,and now  he seems to walking away from the fact that the ICA is the reason why we are in this mess were in. Lets be fair dinkum here, had former Labor Racing Minister Green  adopted all of the Cameron Report  we would not be in the mess we are in NOW.  What it tells us, the thoroughbreds  are standing over both parties . Its a fact of life that Governments can do anything if they want , so stop bullsh*ting to us that they can’t… Read more »

lone widow
lone widow
7 years ago

As you have stated Katherine.

If the industry cannot secure the right percentage of funds according to what it contributes towards the TAB turnover, it will place a massive strain on the industry moving forward as it tries to self-fund both the commercial and regulatory arms of the industry.

 If the other states take up this model the whole industry in Australia will be underfunded.

 Slow death by over regulation.  It’s all about vindicating Mike Baird.

Terry Marsh
Terry Marsh
7 years ago

Good job Luke. Keep up them.

Darryl Scott Hancock
Darryl Scott Hancock
7 years ago

Cmon Luke, say your Govt will change the ICA, not waffle.

BobWhitelaw
BobWhitelaw
7 years ago

You’ve got a week to send your thoughts on the reform panels 122 recommendations in the form of submissions re moving forward, one would think the Alliance would have posted where to send your submissions on their latest press release, it might be in the fine print or they don’t want your thoughts that might hinder what they want ?