Racing Minister asks Greyhound Racing NSW board to show cause why he should not sack them all next week

Racing Minister David Harris has moved to sack the entire board of Greyhound Racing NSW as early as the middle of next week.

The board of Greyhound Racing NSW has been issued with the “show cause” notice after it refused to stand down embattled CEO Rob Macaulay.

Exclusive: Racing Minister David Harris has moved to sack the entire board of Greyhound Racing NSW as early as the middle of next week.

Mr Harris issued the board of GRNSW with a “show cause” notice after it refused to stand down embattled chief executive Rob Macaulay following a string of complaints against him and the organisation.

Allegations from whistleblowers including disgruntled employees and former contractors earlier prompted the board to launch an external investigation into Mr Macaulay at a cost of around $600,000.

The findings of the probe, the second of its nature, cleared Mr Macaulay of any wrongdoing with the board reaffirming their support of the beleaguered CEO. But the board refused to release the findings of the reports to the Minister.

Mr Macaulay told The Daily Telegraph that implementing reform had made him enemies but that he believed what he was doing “is the best thing for the industry and its 12,335 participants, partners and dedicated supporters”.

GRNSW Chairman, Adam Casselden, who has been in the role since last September, and Deputy Chair Rebekah Giles, have remained steadfast in their position that acceding to the Minister’s request to provide the reports would be a breach of criminal law and the Whistleblower Act.

Racing Minister David Harris has announced his intention to sack the entire board of Racing NSW. Picture: NCA NewsWire

It is understood that Minister Harris met with Mr Casselden in recent weeks and requested he stand Mr Macaulay down. Mr Casselden refused, declaring there was no legal basis to do so, leading to a stalemate which is the genesis of the “show cause” notice being issued.

The heat has been on since May when concerns about animal welfare at GRNSW’s Wyee GAP facility arose after it was announced it was to be repurposed as part of a restructure with a number of jobs lost.

Two weeks ago, a further firestorm erupted when former chief vet Alex Brittan delivered an explosive 54-page report into GRNSW following his turbulent nine-month tenure at the organisation which ended at the start of the year.

GRNSW has now appointed ex-Victorian Police Commissioner Graham Ashton to investigate the allegations it raised.

It’s understood that the Racing Minister was incensed to have found out about the report from the regulatory arm of the industry, the Greyhound, Welfare & Integrity Commission (GWIC), rather than GRNSW.

It was the final straw for the minister who does not have the power to sack the CEO directly and instead issued the entire board with the show cause notice outlining his plans to dissolve the board on July 10. That would lead to an administrator being appointed to run GRNSW until a new board and management team could be appointed.

There are concerns the administrator could end the successful greyhound rehoming program including the Aussie Mates in the States program that has rehomed 800 Australian greyhounds in the US.

Greyhound Racing NSW CEO Rob McCauley has been backed by the board despite calls for him to be sacked. Picture: Adam Yip

Mr Brittan’s time at GRNSW was riddled with radical suggestions such as greyhounds wearing protective shoes while racing.

The Brittan report was sent at a time when GRNSW was in the midst of a bitter spat with Greyhound Clubs NSW over plans to slash club funding by 20 per cent which split the industry and fuelled the campaign against Mr Macaulay.

After tense negotiations and the genuine threat of strike-action from clubs, the proposed funding reductions were scrapped last week with the savings instead recovered from prize money.

A spokesman for the Racing Minister said rules around the “show cause” notice meant he could not comment on the detail of what prompted it.

“The Minister for Gaming and Racing is committed to supporting a competitive, responsible and sustainable greyhound racing industry, with the highest standards of animal welfare and integrity,” he said.

“The Minister follows due process on all matters and won’t be commenting on this issue at this time.”

If the GRNSW board is removed it will be the second time it has occurred after then Racing Minister Troy Grant did so in 2016 after revelations of live baiting emerged.

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Originally published as Racing Minister asks Greyhound Racing NSW board to show cause why he should not sack them all next week