Greyhound racing in Australia

Greyhound racing in Australia
Harold Park Paceway
Start date28 May 1927
Epping Racecourse
(later known as Harold Park)[1]

Greyhound racing in Australia is a sport and gambling activity. Australia is one of several countries with a greyhound racing industry.[2] The industry laws are governed by the State Government but the keeping of greyhounds is governed by the Local Authority.[3]

Regulation

Greyhound racing in Australia is regulated at the state and territory level. Each jurisdiction establishes a statutory controlling authority responsible for licensing, rule-making, integrity oversight and animal welfare standards under its respective racing legislation.[4][5][6]

Although regulatory responsibility is decentralised, the rules of racing are largely harmonised nationally. The Australian Greyhound Racing Rules are maintained by Greyhounds Australasia, the peak body representing the state and territory controlling authorities, and are adopted by each jurisdiction as part of its regulatory framework.[7]

State and territory authorities exercise enforcement powers through stewards and integrity officials, including the conduct of inquiries, disciplinary proceedings and the imposition of penalties for breaches of the rules or relevant legislation.[4][5][6]

Australian Capital Territory

There is currently no racing in the ACT following a territory ban in 2018. The Canberra Greyhound Racing Club (CGRC) is still active using their Symonston track as a training facility but the club races at Goulburn in New South Wales.[8]

Venues

Name of club/track Location Opening / Closing
Canberra Greyhound Racing Club Narrabundah Lane, Symonston, Canberra 1979–2018[9]

New South Wales

In 1927 Frederick 'Judge' Swindell established the Greyhound Coursing Association and the first meeting was held using a 'tin hare' (mechanical lure) at Epping Racecourse (Harold Park) on 28 May 1927. From 1928 until 1931 betting was banned. Harold Park continued to be the only venue to have a licence until July 1938 when the government granted a second licence (consisting of 26 fixtures) for Wentworth Park.[10] Although the licence was granted in July 1938 it was not until Saturday 28 October 1939 that the new track opened. The opening had been delayed due to the construction of the track taking longer than expected.[11]

In 1939 the NSW Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association was founded. In 1979, live hare coursing and other similar activities, including live baiting, was banned in NSW under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and in 1985 Wentworth Park became the racing headquarters of NSW. In 2009, the government formed a new legislation, known as the Greyhound Racing Act 2009 which made provisions in regards to the control and regulation of the industry and the Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) then became responsible for the regulatory affairs of the sport in addition to the commercial aspects.[12]

In February 2015, the industry came under severe scrutiny following the airing of the ABC program Four Corners.[13] A series of media reports called the 2015 Australian greyhound racing live baiting scandal detailed the use of live bait animals in the training of racing greyhounds.[14] In June 2016, Australian former High Court judge Michael McHugh conducted a Special Commission of Inquiry for the Australian state of New South Wales where key findings in the report included a high death rate with uncompetitive greyhounds being euthanised over a twelve year period and the under-reporting of greyhound deaths and injuries.[15] Despite self-regulatory efforts to address the issue of live baiting and other animal welfare issues,[16] the investigation led to suspensions, inquiries, condemnation of the practice and the banning of greyhound racing in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory from 1 July 2017,[17][18][19] following the passage of legislation.[20][21] However the ban was repealed by Mike Baird[22] on 11 October 2016. The appointment of the NSW Greyhound Reform Panel made 122 recommendations to the NSW government, of which 121 were adopted.[23] Victoria commissioned the Perna Report[24] and Queensland the MacSporran report.[25] As part of the NSW government recommendations, it created GWIC (Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission), which is a taxpayer funded, non-industry regulator of the greyhound racing industry.

The NSW Greyhound Welfare Code of Practice came into effect on 1 January 2021, with 58 code practice standards (out of 124 in total) relating to retired greyhounds. The code is the benchmark for expected conduct and behaviour and has an Enforcement Protocol.[26] In 2022, Lismore was forced to close following flooding and the inability to widen its track as per the code of practice.[27]

Venues

Main article: List of greyhound racing venues in New South Wales

Greyhound racing in New South Wales is conducted at metropolitan and regional venues across the state.

Northern Territory

Greyhound racing in the Northern Territory (NT) is regulated by Licensing NT on behalf of the NT Racing Commission There is one active track in the NT.[28]

Venues

Name of club/track Location Opening / Closing
Winnellie Park (Darwin Greyhound Association) 15 Hook Road, Winnellie, Darwin opened 1960s

Queensland

Venues

Main article: List of greyhound racing venues in Queensland

There are six current venues in Queensland.[29]

South Australia

Venues

Main article: List of greyhound racing venues in South Australia

There are four active tracks in South Australia.[30]

Tasmania

Tasracing, which was established in November 2008, is responsible for the strategic direction and funding, while the Office of Racing Integrity Tasmania (ORI) is responsible for probity and integrity.[31][32][33] The Tasmanian government announced that it will end its funding for greyhound racing in the state by 2029.[34]

Venues

Main article: List of greyhound racing venues in Tasmania

There are three active tracks in Tasmania.

Victoria

Venues

Main article: List of greyhound racing venues in Victoria

Western Australia

In 1981, the Western Australian Greyhound Racing Association (WAGRA) was established under the Western Australian Greyhound Racing Association Act. Cannington Greyhounds was the first track in Western Australia, opening in 1974 and was consequently transferred to the WAGRA. This was later followed by the merger of the Mandurah Greyhound Racing Association.[35][32][36]

Venues

Main article: List of greyhound racing venues in Western Australia

There are three active tracks in Western Australia.

Notable Australian greyhounds

  • Brett Lee (whelped January 1999, raced 2000–2001)[37]
  • Chief Havoc (whelped September 1944, raced 1946–1948)[38]
  • Fanta Bale (whelped August 2014, raced 2016–2018)[39]
  • Fernando Bale (whelped December 2013, raced 2015)[40]
  • Zoom Top (whelped August 1966, raced 1967–1969)[41]

Major races

The Melbourne Cup for greyhounds was, for a long time, the world's richest greyhound race, with a prize pool of A$600,000 in 2015.[42] Victoria holds the world's richest greyhound race, The Phoenix, worth $1 million to the winner, with a total prize pool of $1.65 million.[43] The race was first run in 2021 and is held annually at The Meadows in December. That race overtook the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase, first run in 2018, which is also worth $1 million to the winner, but has a total prize pool of $1.195 million.

  • The Phoenix (The Meadows) $1,000,000
  • Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase (Wentworth Park) $1,000,000
  • Melbourne Cup (Sandown Park) $500,000
  • Australian Cup (The Meadows) $300,000
  • Adelaide Cup (Angle Park) $300,000
  • Golden Easter Egg (Wentworth Park) $250,000
  • Sandown Cup (Sandown Park) $150,000
  • Launching Pad (Sandown Park) $150,000
  • Perth Cup (Cannington) $150,000
  • Garrards Gold Bullion (Albion Park) $150,000
  • Sportsbet Topgun (The Meadows) $150,000
  • Bold Trease Final (Sandown Park) $105,000
  • Silver Chief (The Meadows) $100,000
  • Temlee 525m (The Meadows) $100,000
  • Fanta Bale – Super Stayers (The Meadows) $100,000
  • Galaxy (Cannington) $100,000
  • Maturity Classic (The Meadows) $100,000
  • Ladbrokes Dapto Group 1 Megastar (Dapto) $75,000

Adoption

Many adoption programs have been set up throughout Australia. There are industry programs and non-industry rescue groups (which are usually charities).[44] Greyhounds are available for adoption in most parts of Australia.[45] The industry's Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) operates in most states but does not re-home all ex-racing greyhounds. In 2018, The New Daily newspaper reported 257 greyhounds (38%) failed the NSW rehoming test.[46]

Some states and territories require muzzling of greyhounds.[47] Both RSPCA Australia and the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) recommend against muzzles for companion animal greyhounds.[48] NSW, Victoria and the ACT have removed the requirement to muzzle greyhounds in public. In NSW, the Greenhounds program assesses greyhounds for exemption from mandatory muzzling in designated off-leash dog areas, reporting pass rates of more than 90%.[49]

Criticism

In 2013, ABC News revealed that some greyhounds were given to veterinary surgeons as blood donors and then euthanised.[50][51] In 2015, the AVA stated that all greyhounds bred for racing should be registered with an independent authority in order to track their lifetime movements.[52] In 2016, 179 trainers were charged with illegal exports to Macau, China, a practice that was banned in 2013.[53][54] This led to Qantas announcing they would no longer transport ex-racers.[55]

In Australian slang, the term Dapto dog is rhyming slang for wog, a pejorative for a person of Mediterranean background,[56] active in greyhound racing in Dapto in the 1950s as represented on stage by the Griffin Theatre Company with the 2015 production of Dapto Chaser.[57] Dapto was also once home to Australia's largest greyhound pup auctions in Australia.[58]

Notable Australian owners of racing greyhounds include Tony Lockett,[58] Tim Cahill,[59] and Ricky Ponting.[60]

In Australian English, the term "plumpton" (named for the village in Sussex) has been used for an enclosed racecourse for greyhounds.[61]

References

  1. ^ "From the Archives: When Harold Park went to the dogs". Sydney Morning Herald. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Greyhound racing". Animals Australia. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  3. ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, pages 433-451. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
  4. ^ a b "Racing Act 1958". Victorian Legislation. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  5. ^ a b "Greyhound Racing Act 2017". NSW Legislation. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b "Racing Integrity Act 2016". Queensland Legislation. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  7. ^ Greyhounds Australasia (10 October 2023). Response to Supplementary Questions on Notice (Report). Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee.
  8. ^ "NSW government considering greyhound training track in Queanbeyan". Sydney Morning Herald. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Greyhounds come to a close in Canberra". Punters.com. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Licence for N.C.A." Maitland Mercury. No. 20, 988. New South Wales, Australia. 21 July 1938. p. 9. Retrieved 24 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Wentworth Park's Opening". The Sun. No. 9304. New South Wales, Australia. 28 October 1939. p. 7. Retrieved 25 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "New South Wales Greyhound Racing". Australian Racing Greyhound. 17 February 2017.
  13. ^ "then and Now". GRSNW.
  14. ^ Meldrum-Hanna, Caro; Clark, Sam (18 February 2015). "Making a Killing". Four Corners. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  15. ^ "Special Commission of Inquiry into the Greyhound Racing Industry in New South Wales" (PDF). nsw.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 July 2016.
  16. ^ "Then and Now: 12 Months of Reform" (PDF). Greyhound Racing NSW. February 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 July 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  17. ^ "Greyhound racing to be banned in New South Wales, Baird Government announces". ABC News. Australia. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  18. ^ Roots, Chris (18 February 2015). "Greyhound racing live baiting revelations should be a turning point for industry, says new chief executive". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  19. ^ "NSW Premier Mike Baird announces ban on greyhound racing after Special Commission of Inquiry". Sydney Morning Herald. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
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  39. ^ "END OF ERA FOR FANTA BALE". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  40. ^ "FERNANDO BALE". Fasttrack.grv. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
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