Opinion
Dogs’ days are over, and it’s only eight years too late
Peter FitzSimons
Columnist and authorWARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
The greyhound stuff?
It is as sickening as it is predictable. Back in 2016, when a special commission of inquiry highlighted the horror of the industry – including the fact that between 48,000 and 68,000 dogs had been killed in the previous 12 years, live-baiting was a common practice, and there was deliberate misreporting of dog deaths and injuries – the then-Premier Mike Baird wanted to shut it down. In the wake of the onslaught, his government buckled and with firm promises that everything would be tightly regulated from then on, it was allowed to proceed.
Then, just in the last fortnight or so, there has been a PR blitz from the same greyhound industry – with heavy advertising and soft-soap op-ed pieces, claiming everything was peachy keen now – just before the hammer fell. The whistleblower report of the former chief vet of Greyhound Racing NSW, Alex Brittan, ripped away the whole facade. He basically alleges that, despite all the regulation, all the PR and all the media toadying things are as bad as ever and that dogs have been raced at “barbaric” intensity, that the numbers of rehomed animal figures were systemically inflated and that the industry had kept as much as two-thirds of greyhound deaths out of official reports.
“There are cases of extreme distress, deep claw marks gouged all over the inside of metal cages and recent pools of blood from toenails that had been ripped off from clawing at the cage door in distress,” Brittan wrote. “This level of animal distress is appalling and can neither be condoned or excused.”
And we will, of course, have an inquiry, to go with the last one.
It was business as usual at Wentworth Park on Thursday night. But for how long?Credit: Louise Kennerley
Friends? As I have said in this space many times, this is a poxy, horrible industry – built entirely on the losses of the very punters who can too often least afford it, and systemic animal cruelty. I was howled at every time. And now we see the truth revealed, once more.
And yes, there are some good people in it, but nothing can change the central dynamic that while nothing is too good for fast dogs, there is no commercial imperative to look after slow ones, and so the catastrophic cruelty goes on, and on, and on. Only eight countries in the world still allow this industry to go on. Why the hell are we one of them? The Herald editorial was right. The whole thing should have been done eight years ago. Let’s get on with it now. Shut it down.
Bedouin fires for the Goddards
As if you didn’t know, the Aegean 600 yacht race is emerging as Europe’s answer to the Sydney to Hobart, though in their case it starts and finishes just south of Athens, with a 600-mile (965km) course that takes the fleet through the Greek islands including Santorini, Rhodes and Mykonos.
And who is waving Australia’s flag in this mad nautical dash? Well, so far in its four-year history it has featured just one Australian boat, Bedouin, owned and skippered by Sydney sailor Linda Goddard, this year joined on her crew by all three of her daughters.
Like many Hobarts, the seventy-strong fleet battled winds of 60 knots – 110km/h in land-lubber money – forcing no fewer than 14 yachts out on the first night. Unlike the Hobart, the doldrums struck south of Rhodes where it was so hot that Team Bedouin had to take to the water to cool off from the shimmering, blistering heat.
The happy news is that when they crossed the finish line on Friday morning, they had won their division on handicap – so confirming the strong European view that Australia produces world-class women sailors. Brava, the lot of them.
Outfoxed by the Roycrofts
You will recall TFF’s item in Team of the Week last Saturday: “Noemie Fox. The sister of fellow paddler Jessica just qualified for the Olympics. It means all four members of the family – mother, father and two daughters – are Olympians. Which other family can lay such a claim?”
Vicki and Wayne Roycroft in 1984.Credit: Fairfax Media
It drew a nice – I think – response from one Vicki Roycroft, pointing out: “I refer you to the Roycroft family, who had Bill, the patriarch, and his three sons, Barry, Wayne and Clarke, who competed in ten Olympic Games from 1960 to 1996. I also may include me as a fifth Roycroft (by marriage to Wayne) and I would never have become an Olympian (3 times) without the support of this great family. Wayne also went on to coach our team to an unprecedented 3 Gold Medals at 1992, 1996 and 2000 Olympics, as well as the 2 Bronze medals he won himself.”
I’ve been told!
What’s in a name? Not much, sometimes
Yeah, nah.
Yeah, nah.
I, for one, am not sure that the newly launched name for the Australian rowing team – the Rowsellas – quite cuts it? Too much of “Geddit? GEDDIT?” for mine. Either way, they now join the Opals, Matildas, Boomers and Dolphins as national teams. Strangely, the most traditionally esteemed national team of the lot – at least until the Matildas came along – are still without a moniker for the masses, unless you count their informal title as the “Baggy Greens”?
What else have you got? Please send in your suggestions for teams across all sports that don’t currently have one, and the best ones may take a pat on the back out of petty cash.
What they said
Novak Djokovic not happy with those who booed him during his match against Holger Ruuuuuune: “To all the fans that have respect and that stayed here tonight: Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate it. And to all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player – in this case, me – have a goooood night. Gooooood night. Gooooood night. Very gooooood night.”
On claims they weren’t booing him: “Listen, I’ve been on the tour for more than 20 years. So, trust me, I know all the tricks. I know how it works. It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s OK. I focus on the respectful people, that have respect, that paid [for] a ticket to watch tonight – and love tennis.”
Michael Maguire on selecting Bradman Best for NSW for Origin III: “Bradman will bring what Bradman brings.” Yup. Yup. And never forget, Mr Madge: It is what it is, and what will be, will be.
Spanish national soccer team manager Luis de la Fuente on wunderkind Lamine Yamal: “We have to help him by keeping his feet on the ground and developing him in the best way. That’s about calm and tranquility. In Ancient Rome, when they talked about Caesar they would say: ‘Remember he’s mortal!’”
LeBron James on his son Bronny and the white noise: “He doesn’t care. I actually care a little bit. When I came in [as a rookie], I wanted people to like me, and some of the things that people were saying about me kind of bothered me early on in my career . . . He doesn’t give a f---.”
Lewis Hamilton toasts breaking a long F1 drought.Credit: Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton after winning his first F1 race in two-and-a-half years: “It’s been since 2021, I just … every day, getting up, trying to fight, to train, to put my mind to the task, and work as hard as I can with this amazing team.”
Emma Raducanu after a good Wimbledon campaign: “As bitter as it is to take, I think [this defeat] happened for a reason. You don’t want things to happen too easily and too quickly. I had that before. I don’t necessarily want just a massive spike.”
Jarome Luai after he had to be dragged out of a wave pool after jumping in during NSW Origin camp: “I think my life flashed before my eyes out there. I’m grateful to be alive. There are no beaches in Penrith.” His football reel of recent years would have been great viewing.
Vic Seixas, who won 15 grand slam tennis tournaments in the 1950s and died this week aged 100, used to have a stock answer when asked about how he felt being the oldest living major champion: “I’m proud of it, but I’d rather be the youngest.”
Vic Seixas in 1951.Credit: Fairfax Media
Asked by a journalist the moment he realised the time was right to resign, West Coast Eagles coach Adam Simpson replied: “Probably your 300th article. You guys can be cruel sometimes.”
Gold Coast Suns coach Damien Hardwick is not a happy camper: “I’m angry, to be fair. As a footy club we’ve got to grow the f--- up to be perfectly honest. Excuse the language. We’ve been in this situation too many times so it’s up to me and the match committee to sit there and get our boys going.”
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt on Wallaby Tom Wright: “And no better man than ‘Wrighty’ to put the hammer down and get away.” Wrighty? They have to do better than that.
Tim Horan is still feeling last year’s Rugby World Cup disaster: “I think for fans and players as well, you can’t forget about the World Cup. Yes, you’ve got to move on, but it’s got to sting, it’s got to really hurt because that then drives you to be better.”
Tom Wright celebrates after scoring against Wales.Credit: Getty Images
Team of the Week
Wallabies. Take on Wales on Saturday night in Melbourne, after whupping them last week in Sydney.
Michael Lynagh and Bobby Nasser. TFF’s former teammates both have sons who have featured for the Wallabies against Wales recently. Josh Nasser is ready for his debut at hooker in Melbourne on Saturday, while Tom Lynagh got his first Test last week before being dropped out of the match day 23. I’ll also be seeing Bobby in Paris in a fortnight where he’ll be watching his daughter, Bella, play for the Australian sevens team. RAH!
NSW Blues. Can Wile. E Coyote finally catch the Road Runner? The decider is in Brissie on Wednesday night.
Lamine Yamal. Youngest scorer in the history of European Championships with a stunning goal against France. Sixteen years old and still wearing braces! He turns 17 on Saturday.
Swans. They need to take the cue back out of the rack, especially in the first quarter.
Jason Ryles. Named new Parramatta coach this week. (Another one of Craig Bellamy’s apprentices, with a chance to demonstrate what he has learnt from the Master.)
Wallaroos. Beat Fijiana 64-5 last week. Next up are the Black Ferns.
Jessica Hull. The 27-year-old Australian took five seconds off her personal best to win a silver medal in the 1500m at the Paris Diamond League meet last Sunday. I interviewed her on Tuesday, and was impressed!
RIP Barry Want 1938-2024. The St George stalwart and former Sydney and Wallaby selector – who was a great servant of rugby across the board, and great bloke to boot – died this week. His funeral will be at 11am on Thursday at St Catherine’s Church, Gymea. If you could put a flower on his coffin from me, I’d be obliged.
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