Ex-Victorian police commissioner Graham Ashton to head SA greyhound inquiry

Premier Peter Malinauskas has announced an inquiry into greyhound racing in SA after shocking footage emerged of dogs being mistreated.

Premier Peter Malinauskas announced an inquiry into potential “systematic issues” within Greyhound racing in SA.

”We don’t want a few small apples to spoil the crop,” Mr Malinauskas said. ”Animal welfare matters.”

SA-raised Graham Ashton was the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police from 2015 to 2020 and has been involved in a Greyhound racing inquiry across the border will head the inquiry.

He will examine the industry’s “operation, culture, and practices” as well as potential “animal welfare issues.”

The government has allocated $200,000 for the inquiry, which also covers other expenses such as support workers.

Precise pay will depend on how many hours Mr Ashton works, officials said.

It comes as one of the state’s most prominent greyhound trainers and his wife were charged with a dozen racing offences by stewards over shocking footage showing dogs being kicked and flung around.

Katrine Hildyard said she was appalled by the footage.

“The drone footage that emerged a couple of weeks ago was utterly abhorrent,” she said.

Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) stewards laid 12 charges under the Greyhounds Australasia Rules and Local Rules of racing against Tony Rasmussen and his wife Lisa after an investigation into the footage.

Former Victorian Police Commissioner Graham Ashton will lead the state inquiry into animal welfare issues in the greyhound racing industry. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

“We know he brings a wealth of experience to this inquiry and we look forward to his report.”

Mr Ashton said he grew up around greyhounds and would be “inviting submissions to the inquiry.”

“I’ll be treating any submissions with the utmost confidentiality,” he said.

Mr Ashton has worked for the National Crime Authority, including the investigation of drug trafficking, organised crime and money laundering and was the Forward Commander for the Australian investigation into the 2002 Bali Bombings.

In 2004, he accepted a position with the newly formed Victorian Office of Police Integrity (OPI), with responsibility for investigating and preventing police corruption.

In 2013 he set up Victoria Police’s Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit – the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

Mr Ashton was born and raised in South Australia, and is widely respected in racing circles.

He is a member of the Asian Racing Federation Council on Anti-illegal Betting and Related Financial Crime and was appointed as a member of the Harness Racing Victoria Show Cause Sub-Committee in 2020.

Mr Ashton said the welfare of greyhounds would be “at the forefront of the inquiries I’ll be making”.

He said he was very concerned by the footage he had seen.

“When images like that occur, it really erodes our social licence for these industries to continue,” Mr Ashton said.

Anyone in South Australia found guilty of ill-treating a greyhound faces a minimum of two years disqualification as well as a loss of registration for 10 years from the date of conviction.

He said he was aware of claims that the drone footage was just the tip of the iceberg but also that there were people in the industry who loved greyhounds and were doing the right thing.

“I’ve made it plain that if he requires additional powers the government is open to that but he is confident the terms of reference will allow him to conduct his inquiry,” Mr Malinauskas said.