Industry chief responds after meeting NSW premier, saying he wants to ‘continue our capacity to demonstrate change’

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Mike Baird appears to have failed to ease the fears of the NSW greyhound industry with owners saying they will push ahead with legal action after a meeting with the premier and his deputy.



“Clearly the premier and deputy premier are maintaining a position and we have a position,” chief executive of the NSW Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA), Brenton Scott said on Thursday.

“We’re asking for a fair go to continue our capacity to demonstrate change.”

Race night at Wentworth Park: greyhound owners begin the long goodbye Read more

Scott described the meeting, which involved four industry stakeholders including the owner of the Dubbo Greyhound Racing Club in the state’s central west, as productive.

“[Premier Baird] understands our position that we have had the Special Commission of Inquiry report for a short period of time and I believe it’s fair to say that he is open to a response from the greyhound industry on the report,” he said.

However the GBOTA was “absolutely” still exploring its legal options to fight the ban, Scott confirmed.

Thursday’s meeting is the first time breeders and trainers have met with the government since it last week announced plans to shut down the industry in an “orderly fashion” by July 2017.

Labor vows to repeal greyhound racing ban as backlash mounts Read more

The premier said he had no choice but to enforce the changes after a report by former high court judge Michael McHugh found up to 68,000 greyhounds deemed “uncompetitive” had been slaughtered in the past 12 years and nearly a fifth of trainers used live animal baits.

Baird held a press conference at a RSPCA animal shelter to say the government would not be backing down on the issue. He also took to social media to summarise the report into greyhound racing which triggered his decision and explain why he was shutting down greyhound racing,

Mike Baird (@mikebairdMP) I feel deep empathy for innocent participants & we will work to support them. But the report is clear and the right decision has been made.

Mike Baird (@mikebairdMP) Even if the industry could reform, “the outlook for participants is bleak”. (27.46)

The Labor party is opposed to the decision and will repeal a ban on greyhound racing if it wins government at the 2019 state election.

Baird cut an interstate holiday short to address the media, according to the ABC, amid growing tensions in his own party and the community over the decision.