SA greyhound industry given two years to improve practices following inquiry recommendations

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The South Australian Government has given the greyhound racing industry two years to improve its standards or face an outright ban. It's one of the recommendations of an inquiry into the industry launched following revelations by the ABC of dogs being abused.

Transcript

00:00 It was these pictures from a Murray Bridge property revealed by the ABC in July that

00:06 sparked an independent inquiry into South Australia's greyhound racing industry.

00:12 Our community was rightly very, very shocked, devastated and shocked by the footage that

00:19 emerged, horrible footage of cruelty.

00:23 That inquiry has now handed down its report with 86 recommendations.

00:28 It includes a newly created independent inspector who will oversee industry reforms for two

00:34 years.

00:35 If it doesn't clean up its act in that time, it will be banned.

00:40 The people of our state are absolutely appalled at some of the behaviour that has come to

00:45 light throughout the course of this year.

00:47 So change must happen, it can happen and if it does, the industry will get to continue.

00:52 Reviewer Graham Ashton found while most greyhounds were fit and healthy, their living conditions

00:57 often didn't meet community standards.

01:00 But he says there are some trainers who shouldn't be in the industry at all.

01:05 And certainly some of the practices that we learned about and JRSA were aware of and trying

01:11 to deal with were really quite alarming from an animal welfare perspective.

01:15 The Greens have long pushed for a greyhound inquiry and say this is a vindication for

01:20 whistleblowers.

01:21 But others say the industry has already been given too many chances.

01:26 Today the greyhound racing industry of South Australia has been given a wake up call with

01:30 a two year snooze button.

01:32 We can't just continue to push the snooze button though, it must be a real wake up call.

01:36 It doesn't go far enough, though I thank the government for their efforts, it's not far

01:41 enough and I think we need to see a very clear transition plan to the end of this industry

01:45 and how we're going to move forward.

01:47 In a statement, Greyhound Racing SA says it welcomes the recommendations and will work

01:52 through the findings.

01:54 The government says the new industry inspector will be in place by Easter next year.

01:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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