Tuesday, 17 March 2026

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (21:49): (2412) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Racing, and the action I seek is for an immediate investigation into the deadly Ballarat greyhound racing track. Ballarat has become synonymous with injury and death in Victoria’s greyhound racing industry. In 2025 the track recorded seven on-track deaths, equalling the highest number in the state and making it the deadliest venue for greyhound racing in Victoria. Alarmingly, it also recorded the highest number of injuries, with 391 dogs injured due to racing at this track. Data compiled by the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds shows that Victoria was the deadliest state in Australia for greyhound racing in 2025, with 46 greyhound deaths. That figure far exceeded other racing states, including Queensland with 30 deaths and Western Australia with 21 – and keep in mind these are only the deaths on the track.

This year is no less disturbing when all racing-related deaths and injuries are considered. Ballarat has recorded 81 injuries so far in 2026, including the highest number of serious injuries requiring standdowns of more than 28 days. With 22 major injuries already recorded, Ballarat remains the most dangerous track in the state for a greyhound to be raced at. Behind these numbers are individual dogs whose lives ended in avoidable suffering. Sweet Tonight suffered a wrist fracture at the Ballarat track and was killed the following day. Another dog, Delicious, collapsed and died in the wash-down bay after racing at Ballarat earlier this year. And in a separate matter, considered by the Victorian Racing Tribunal, a trainer was alleged to have mistreated Borroloola Lad during trials at the Ballarat track, punching, kneeing and loudly threatening to kill him.

Despite this troubling record, the Allan government has continued to invest taxpayer money into greyhound racing infrastructure. The Ballarat facility at Morshead Park received a $3.3 million upgrade, including $1.6 million in government funding, with assurances that the investment would improve safety and racing conditions. Yet the outcomes tell a very, very different story to that commitment. Since those upgrades were completed in 2024, deaths at this track have not declined. In fact the number of fatalities recorded in 2025 was the highest at Ballarat since 2020. When questions have been raised publicly about the spike in injuries and deaths at Ballarat and what measures have been taken to address this issue, the racing minister has failed to provide us with answers. For these reasons I urge the minister to initiate an investigation into the safety of the Ballarat greyhound racing track, including where the current track design, racing practices or oversight arrangements are placing greyhounds at unacceptable risk.