The ban is scheduled to take effect at the end of June next year. Mr Ramsay, on Friday, said the Transition Support Packages would include counselling, training opportunities, financial and career guidance, and interest-free loans. Those eligible for support include residents active and registered as breeders or owners of racing greyhounds, ACT employees of the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club, contractors, and businesses and their employees who provide racing-related services to the club. Mr Ramsay said greyhound racing was not in line with Canberra's community values and the proposed ban had broad community support. This support includes providing assistance to those affected with $1 million in transition funding made available," Minister Ramsay said.

"We acknowledge that a small number people and businesses will be impacted and we want them to come forward and take up this support." "The needs of each applicant will be considered on an individual basis and together we will develop a package that addresses their specific circumstances." But Mr Watt criticised the package, saying it had been compiled without consultation with those it claimed to aid and was a "failed policy". He said there had been no change in the industry's policy position in opposing the ban - which it planned to fight in court - and it would not accept any transition plan. "The club won't be transitioning and we'll see the government in court," Mr Watt said.

Mr Watt said he could not comment further due to the legal action. Mr Ramsay said the ban was an animal welfare initiative and the government had taken the hard action to "ensure that the documented and acknowledged failures in NSW cannot happen in the ACT". He said the needs of animals currently involved in racing would also be paramount. "The safety and welfare of greyhounds in the transition process will be central. "We will monitor the rehoming of greyhounds over the next two years and consider support to rehoming groups if capacity issues arise."

Applications for Greyhound Industry Transition Support Packages will open next month via the Greyhound Industry Transition Taskforce website. Updates from the Taskforce can be found at www.act.gov.au/greyhoundtaskforce.