NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley vows to fight racing ban during Potts Park Greyhound Racing Club visit

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley has vowed to fight a ban on greyhound racing, which could close Sydney’s only social club in Yagoona.

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley has vowed to fight a ban on greyhound racing in NSW. Picture: Jack Tran

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley has vowed to fight a ban on greyhound racing, which could close Sydney’s only social club in Yagoona.

Mr Foley visited Potts Park Greyhound Racing Club on Sunday in response to the Premier’s announcement the industry will be closed from July next year.

The sudden move follows a Special Commission of Inquiry report, handed down in June, which found between 48,000 and 68,000 greyhounds bred to race were allegedly killed in the past 12 years.

The report also found “up to 20 per cent of trainers engage in live baiting”.

Mr Baird described the report as “chilling, confronting, horrific”.

Luke Foley NSW Opposition Leader with Greyhound Action Group president Tony Gannon President and shadow western Sydney spokesman Sam Dastyari at Wentworth Park Racecourse. Photo: Brett Costello

He said the industry had “turned a blind eye to the barbaric practice of live-baiting”, uncovered by the ABC last year.

Mr Foley said he was against the ban on the industry, which he describes as the “working man’s horseracing”.

He plans to work with federal MPs to overturn the ban.

“I am for throwing the book at bad apples in the industry, I would be happy to introduce jail terms for people engaging in live baiting or any animal cruelty,” he said.

NSW Premier Mike Baird said preventing thousands of ex-racing dogs being killed when racing is wound up would be a “huge challenge”.

On 2GB on Monday, Mr Foley said: “I met with people at Potts Park in Yagoona and Wentworth Park ... people were in tears.”

He criticised the Premier for making the announcement on Facebook, without consulting the industry.

Mr Baird said now that the ban has been announced, preventing thousands of ex-racing dogs being killed when racing is wound up would be a “huge challenge” and the government would be working with shelters to rehome as many dogs as possible.