Greyhound racing banned in NSW: Mike Baird announces ban after special inquiry

What a day. Within the space of a few hours this afternoon, Mike Baird announced greyhound racing would be shut down in NSW, and the ACT soon made a similar announcement, putting an end to a decades-long industry.

Here's what you need to know:

• Mike Baird has announced greyhound racing, and breeding the dogs for the purpose of racing, will be banned from July 1 next year because of cruelty in the industry
• Greyhound tracks will be turned into public land
• The ACT made a similar commitment, but is yet to announce a timeline on when this will happen
• A report released today by the Special Commission of Inquiry into Greyhound Racing in NSW had recommended the industry be shut down or significantly reformed
• At least 48,000 greyhounds were killed in the past 12 years because they did not run fast enough, in part of the industry's "wastage", racing minister Troy Grant said
• Members of the greyhound industry have reacted with shock to the move to shut it down
• Greyhound Racing NSW has suspended all races across the state for a week
• Animal rights groups have praised the move
• Welfare organisations are calling for people to consider adopting the greyhounds formerly used for racing

There's already been plenty of comment around the decision.

Peter Davis, a former board member of Greyhound Racing NSW, called the decision "appallingly single-minded".

Animal Justice Party MLC Mark Pearson said he was "very impressed".

And Richard Sleeman, a former greyhound owner and racer, has lamented that all trainers will now be tarred with the same brush.

The legislation to halt greyhound racing will still need to pass through NSW Parliament, so we'll surely be talking about this for a while. Thanks for sticking with us and for your comments.

Mike Baird, flanked by Deputy Premier Troy Grant and RSCPA NSW CEO Steve Coleman, announces greyhound racing will be shut down in NSW.Credit: Peter Rae

Broadcaster Richard Sleeman, a greyhound owner and trainer for 20 years, says it's a "pity" the actions of some trainers have shut down the industry.

Sleeman's greyhound Best Pal was always by his side, he says, accompanying him to the studios of radio station 2GB and sleeping in his own double bed each night.

"Those images on Four Corners were disgusting. But they do not represent the greyhound racing that I and many others know and love," Sleeman writes.

Read his opinion piece here.

Richard Sleeman, pictured in June 2013, trained and raced greyhounds across NSW.Credit: Dallas Kilponen

Trainers have spoken out to say they're in "disbelief" over the decision to stop greyhound racing in NSW and the ACT.

The industry is estimated to be worth $90 million to the NSW government each year.

Chris Roots has crunched the numbers to see just what else is at stake in the state.

4: The percentage annual growth of wagering on NSW greyhound racing

33: Greyhounds tracks in NSW

1253: Greyhound meetings in NSW in 2014-15

4404: Licensees (trainers, owner-trainers, attendants) in 2014-15

7964: Greyhounds whelped (born) in NSW in 2014-15

12,422: Races

94,222: Starters

$352,500: The richest race in NSW – The Golden Egg, held at Wentworth Park every Easter

$1.185 billion: Total wagering on NSW greyhound racing in 2014-15

The report released today by the Special Commission of Inquiry Into Greyhound Racing in NSW has sent shockwaves through the industry.

Put together by former High Court judge Michael McHugh, the report examined the industry for more than a year and recommended either shutting it down or significantly reforming it.

Mike Baird chose the former option this afternoon, branding the report "chilling", "confronting" and "horrific".

To read the report for yourself, its three volumes and various appencides can be found at the Greyhound Inquiry website.

Greyhounds racing at Wentworth Park in Glebe last year.Credit: Wolter Peeters

Speculation has emerged about what greyhound tracks around NSW will be used for once racing is shut down next year.

But the government has ruled out one option for the Wentworth Park track in Sydney's inner west: it won't be a school.

The NSW Government has ruled out putting a school on the park permanently, though adjacent parkland will be the temporary home for demountable classrooms while Ultimo Public School is renovated.

Read Jacob Saulwick and Eryk Bagshaw's full story by clicking here.

The Wentworth Park greyhound track in Glebe, with Sydney's skyline in the background.Credit: Brendan Esposito

NSW racing minister Troy Grant says there will be no move to shut down horse racing in the state following the ban on greyhound racing.

Speaking on Sky News, Mr Grant – who is also deputy Premier – said the "wastage" throughout the greyhound industry was astronomical, but the horse racing industry "doesn't go anywhere near" it.

"Over the last 12 years, that wastage on very conservative figures has been 48 to 62,000 dogs. They're horrendous figures that I don't think the community can accept any longer.

"The other two racing industries, being thoroughbreds and harness in NSW, have had difficulties over the years but they have redressed them, and they have some of the strongest integrity and welfare measures of any racing code in Australia.

"I am very confident that the same perennial and entrenched cultural issues don't exist in the other two codes."

NSW racing minister Troy Grant appears on PM Agenda on Sky News.Credit: Sky News

The ACT will also ban greyhound racing, the state's government has announced.

In a statement, the government said it agreed with NSW that there is no future for the industry, branding the findings from the Special Commission of Inquiry "damning".

"We will consider the findings of the New South Wales report before announcing a process to end the practice of greyhound racing in the ACT," the statement said.

"The Government cannot continue to support an industry that is turning a blind eye to the sort of behaviour and cruelty uncovered by the Special Commission of Inquiry.

"It is untenable for the ACT Government to continue allowing and financially supporting the practice of greyhound racing."

Despite a statement from Greyhound Racing NSW that the sport would be suspended for a week, racing is going ahead in the Hunter Valley this afternoon.

Race one began as scheduled at Maitland Greyhound Track, according to this video by Newcastle Herald journalist Brodie Owen.

Races are also scheduled for today at Dapto, in the Illawarra, and Casino, in the Northern Rivers.

Robert Borsak, a member of the NSW Legislative Council for the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party, says the "outright ban" on greyhound racing is "a huge mistake".

"Once more, the NSW Government is putting another difficult issue in the 'too hard' basket," Mr Borsak said.

"Banning greyhound racing from 1 July 2017 will abolish a billion dollar industry because Mike Baird lacks the will to tackle the difficult issues of the day.

"Other sports where regulatory issues have taken centre stage have tackled them head-on without a blunt response like an outright ban."

He accused the Premier of appeasing the animal rights lobby and called on him to rule out a similar ban on horse racing in NSW.

"Mike Baird and his Government have a lot to answer," Mr Borsak said.

"The biggest concern surrounds the future of existing greyhound racing sites: will the land be passed on to developers like the proposal for the Powerhouse Museum, or will it be allocated towards other community uses?"

Mr Borsak has been an outspoken voice against animal activists since last year, when he wrote an opinion piece on why he hunts elephants in Zimbabwe.

Shooters and Fishers Party MLC Robert Borsak.Credit: Steven Siewert

Caro Meldrum-Hanna, the journalist who won a Gold Walkley award for exposing abhorrent practices in the greyhound industry, said she never expected her investigation would result in the industry being shut down in NSW.

"Greyhound racing is part of the fabric of Australia. We've had racing here since the 1920s... it generates $90 million for the state government," she said in an interview on ABC News 24.

"I think this result, no one expected this. From my point of view, I certainly didn't, I thought the value of that income for the state government was too rich to ever lose. But clearly the report is too damning."

She said the evidence in the inquiry, which showed the extent of live baiting and the rate of death and doping, was "shocking".

Under attack: ABC Journalist Caro Meldrum-Hanna's 'Four Corners' report on youth justice has been slammed by former Northern Territory Corrections Minister John Elferink. Credit: ABC News