Tuesday, 15 August 2023

Greyhound racing

Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (13:30): Like all people of compassion, I was deeply distressed at what was revealed about the greyhound racing industry with footage coming out of South Australia two weeks ago. That footage shows greyhounds being kicked, punched and dragged by trainers while the dogs cowered and tried to run away. The sheer violence of it motivated the South Australian Premier to immediately announce an independent inquiry into the state greyhound racing industry. Members should know that the same South Australian trainer has raced dogs in 12 courses across country and metropolitan Victoria. I wonder about the welfare of animals in Victoria. Is the only difference between South Australia and Victoria that someone managed to get that instance of violence on film?

I have spoken before in this place about studies across Australia and Victoria that have concluded that the majority of people want to see the cruel racing of greyhounds banned, yet in our state we still have the biggest greyhound racing industry in the world. This industry profits off the abuse, misery and death of sentient animals, and it has no place in Victoria. Greyhounds belong on our couches, not on the tracks, suffering. The Greens call on the Victorian government to amend the Racing Act 1958 to ban greyhound racing as soon as possible, to create a welfare plan for the future of greyhounds currently housed in the industry and to implement a just plan for trainers and other workers in the industry to transition to other employment.