Racing minister Grace Grace to meet Queensland greyhound industry heavyweights to calm fears over NSW ban

RACING minister Grace Grace will host a high-powered meeting with Queensland greyhound industry heavyweights on Monday to calm industry fears over the NSW ban.

Queensland Racing Minister Grace Grace.

RACING minister Grace Grace will host a high-powered meeting with Queensland greyhound industry heavyweights on Monday to calm industry fears over the NSW ban.

Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club CEO Luke Gatehouse, president Les Bein and prominent trainer Tony Apap will be among those attending the roundtable summit at Brisbane’s Albion Park greyhound facility.

Queensland Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association president Brenton Wilson, who last week voiced fears the Queensland Government would close the state’s greyhound industry, will also be there.

Queensland Racing Integrity Commissioner Ross Barnett, who has spent nearly 40 years in the police service, will be another key attendee along with high-ranking Racing Queensland officials.

Minister Grace has convened the meeting to reassure greyhound participants the State Government does not plan to follow the NSW lead and close down the Queensland industry.

However, she will warn the state’s greyhound industry it had better not put a foot wrong.

Queensland Racing Minister Grace Grace.

“Greyhound racing has a future in Queensland, but only if the industry can maintain public confidence,” Grace told The Courier-Mail.

“We have a zero approach to animal cruelty and will uphold the highest integrity standards anywhere in Australia now that Queensland has a new and properly resourced stand-alone integrity commission.

“I want to encourage everyone involved in greyhound racing to work with us so that the public can have confidence in this industry.

“My message to the greyhound industry is very simple: if you do the wrong thing, you will be caught and you will be dealt with — there are no more second chances.”

Meanwhile, NSW Opposition leader Luke Foley is expected to attend this week’s greyhound and thoroughbred carnival in Grafton.

The Grafton Greyhound club received a last-minute reprieve from the immediate seven-day NSW shutdown and will race today, Wednesday and Friday this week.

Foley, who also previously acted as shadow racing minister, has accused NSW premier Mike Baird of jumping the gun with the NSW ban that will lead to thousands of greyhound participants losing their livelihoods.

It is believed Foley has been canvassing support from some members of the Baird Government who are dismayed with the ban.

Baird has used Facebook to defend his decision to ban greyhound racing in NSW from July 1 next year.

Originally published as Racing minister Grace Grace to meet Queensland greyhound industry heavyweights to calm fears over NSW ban