Thursday, 7 March 2024

 Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (09:53): It was with great pleasure that I met with Greyhound Racing Victoria chair Peita Duncan and CEO Stuart Laing at the Shepparton Greyhound Racing Club last week to learn more about the industry and the work of the GRV on the welfare of Victoria’s racing greyhounds. Joining us was Shepparton Greyhound Racing Club general manager Carl McGrath, who provided an insight into the workings of the club and its importance to the Goulburn Valley community. The greyhound racing industry contributes an estimated $643 million to the Victorian economy each year, and the GRV supports 13 registered racing clubs, 11 of which are in regional Victoria. Greyhound racing in the Goulburn region alone supports 98 full-time equivalent jobs and contributes an estimated $13.1 million to the local economy. The Shepparton Greyhound Racing Club has been a generous contributor to the local community since the early 1970s and conducted 117 race meetings in 2023. As well as being responsible for regulating the industry, GRV’s main focus is the welfare of the racing dogs themselves. The Greyhound Adoption Program does a wonderful job of rehoming retired dogs, and GRV’s racing and safety strategy has seen both race fatalities and injury rates steadily decline over the last four years. I want to thank Peita, Stuart and Carl for taking the time to meet with me, and I wish the GRV and all in the greyhound racing industry the very best for the 2024 season and beyond.