This is A LEADERSHIP ISSUE!

This is A LEADERSHIP ISSUE!

This is A LEADERSHIP ISSUE!

This is A LEADERSHIP ISSUE!

This is A LEADERSHIP ISSUE!

This is A LEADERSHIP ISSUE!

This is A LEADERSHIP ISSUE!

This is A LEADERSHIP ISSUE!

Ban greyhound racing: the arguments are compelling

Now is the time for Australians to decide whether greyhound racing should be banned.

The "sport" is illegal in 38 American states, South Africa and Italy. The "sport" has been found to be economically unviable in NSW. The "sport" euthanises more than 2000 pups a year in NSW alone because they are deemed "wastage". Many more greyhounds are discarded when they struggle on the track. The "sport" has faced myriad doping and race-fixing allegations.

And those problems are before even starting to analyse the disgraceful, disgusting and sickening practice of live baiting revealed this week.

This is more than a case of a few bad apples. This is more than a case of someone else's problem.

Every NSW citizen has a financial stake in greyhound racing. NSW greyhound races attract $1.03 billion in bets each year. Of every $100 wagered on greyhound races, the NSW government – and as such, the state's population – collects more than $3.

As such blood is on the hands of every person who turns a blind eye to the disgusting practice of blooding dogs to increase their chase and kill response.

Successive governments and industry participants have talked of reform only to leave the dark side barely untouched. Fairfax Media investigative reporting has highlighted the problems for years. Little has been fixed.

The arguments for banning greyhound racing are now compelling. The damage to those who eke a living from the industry would pale in comparison to the benefits from reducing cruelty to the dogs and animals used in blooding them.

Short of a ban, which would require political courage, the industry should be suspended until a full inquiry is conducted, criminals removed and regulatory systems rebuilt.

At the core is one simple reform: the industry must be stripped of control over itself.

Greyhound racing in NSW has no independent regulator with power to root out criminal and unethical practices. The industry has been found by a parliamentary inquiry to include "alarming" treatment of whistle-blowers and internal critics who want change.

The overseeing body, Greyhound Racing NSW, is meant to provide strategic direction and leadership in the development, integrity and welfare of greyhound racing in the state. It has the money to advertise the industry and employ scores of highly paid staff, and spends a lot on animal welfare, yet this abhorrent practice remains.

The industry body is inherently conflicted between maximising turnover, limiting bad publicity and allowing participants to gain any advantage they can. Prize-money is relatively poor and the vast majority of participants operate at a significant loss.

The Four Corners expose revealed live baiting by the top echelon: champion trainers, owners and even former stewards.

Beyond the cruelty to animals, it is sad that so many small trainers and owners will suffer when they see greyhound racing as their one shot at striking it rich. They are mostly the ones who follow the rules and work hard – only to find themselves up against live baiting networks and practices that flourish without proper regulation.

The response from Greyhound Racing NSW has been to establish a taskforce to be headed by racing stalwart and former High Court justice Michael McHugh QC. That's a start, and can examine whether laws need to be changed to improve access to properties and powers of surveillance, but it can hardly rebuild the industry from top to bottom, let alone recommend it be shut down.

The response from Greyhounds Australasia chief executive Scott Parker – that the problem is not systemic and that it is difficult to police live baiting because its occurs a long way from Wentworth Park – beggars belief.

The response from the NSW government has been to extend the time for submission to the five-yearly review of greyhound industry legislation. That's little more than a stalling political gesture to avoid making hard policy decisions to fix this once and for all.

Governments in NSW, other states and in Canberra do not have to look far for answers.

A NSW Upper House inquiry into the greyhound industry last year recommended the state government bring the racing industry within the jurisdiction of the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

The committee also recommended the NSW government establish a single Racing Integrity Commissioner to oversee thoroughbred racing, harness racing and greyhound racing. Barring the complete racing overhaul, the committee recommended the existing greyhound racing Integrity Auditor be replaced with a greyhound Racing Integrity Commissioner.

The Herald has gone much further previously and recommended a national anti-corruption commission to oversee all sports and racing to prevent race-fixing, doping, gambling rorts and animal cruelty. Racing stewards would still enforce the rules of their code but lose broader regulatory functions. The fight against corruption would be proactive, policing resources would be better employed; and, over time, public confidence would return.

The federal government has a role here. In the meantime, the states cannot allow greyhound racing to continue as it is

Bobby. wrote on Feb 18^th, 2015 at 6:30am:

I think Tony is going to have a hard time avoiding a leadership issue amidst calls of international hypocrisy if he doesn't say something on Australias barbarism given he has just spent a fair whack of his precious time threatening another sovereign nation over its sins!

Rafter - eye - ...it's got to happen basically