Page 140 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 December 2016
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The McHugh report detailed the animal cruelty widespread in the New South Wales greyhound industry. The McHugh report estimated that between 48,000 and 68,000 greyhounds were killed in New South Wales over the past 12 years because they were considered to be too slow to pay their way or they were just considered to be unsuitable for racing. This mass slaughter of greyhounds is euphemistically called “wastage”, and Mr Parton’s motion did not consider that.
The greyhound industry in the ACT is inextricably linked with the New South Wales industry that the McHugh report exposed as cruel and exploitative. For Mr Parton to believe that these problems stop at the border is disingenuous at best.
The RSPCA has advised us that seven trainers linked to live baiting in New South Wales have raced here in the ACT at least once. At least one trainer from Victoria linked to live baiting has raced here as well. The New South Wales special commission of inquiry revealed an email in which the Greyhound Racing New South Wales Chief Steward, Clint Bentley, directed stewards to produce misleading injury records in order to reduce the public backlash. I understand that is the same steward who has been steward for at least 11 races at the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club since 2014.
There is also evidence of the use of banned substances in greyhound racing conducted in Canberra. Since 2010 four trainers have been penalised for the use of prohibited substances while racing here in Canberra. Trainers found guilty of using prohibited substances in the past are still competing in Canberra. All of this evidence is publicly accessible and it refutes Mr Parton’s claim of an unblemished animal welfare record. The Canberra Times has covered at least three greyhound deaths from injuries sustained while racing in the ACT and the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club has not been transparent about how many dogs are euthanased due to wastage and oversupply. The list goes on and on. The reality of the greyhound racing industry contradicts Mr Parton’s motion.
I believe that Mr Parton has also overstated the economic benefits of this cruel industry. The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission’s 2011 Investigation into the ACT racing industry report estimated the economic contribution of the ACT greyhound industry in 2009-10 at $472,984. The 2014-15 financial statements of the club showed only eight employees with a combined wage expenditure of well under $300,000. So I do not think it is at all obvious that the greyhound racing industry makes the economic contribution suggested in the motion. In fact, as I mentioned earlier, and as Minister Ramsay also mentioned, the situation in the ACT is that the industry receives around a million dollars a year in taxpayer subsidies, and that is essentially propping up an industry based on animal exploitation for entertainment.
Mr Parton talked about people having the choice to do what they wanted. Yes, people have choices, but there are also issues of animal cruelty, and this is an issue where there clearly is animal cruelty. I do not think that we should be saying that people have a choice when it comes to animal cruelty. If people want choices, there are many other choices. If their choices are around gambling, greyhound racing is not the only
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