Greyhound racing in Australia

Greyhound racing in Australia is a sport and regular gambling activity. In 2015, there were more than 300,000 greyhounds in 40,000 races in Australia. A$4 billion a year is gambled on the results.[1] Australia is one of eight countries with a significant greyhound racing industry.[2]

Regulation

Each Australian state and territory has a greyhound racing body that regulates the racing, training and animal welfare of greyhounds in that state or territory. Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW) and Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) are the two largest authorities, governing over 40 racetracks. The Queensland Greyhound Racing Authority (QGRA), Western Australian Greyhound Racing Authority (WAGRA), Tasmanian Greyhound Racing Authority (TGRA), Greyhound Racing South Australia (GRSA), Northern Territory Racing Authority, and the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club (CGRC), all contribute to running and monitoring of greyhound racing and animal welfare of greyhounds in Australia.

Venues and major races

The 2014 Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park.

There are 65 racing venues in Australia, including at least one in each state capital: Wentworth Park in Glebe, Sydney; Cannington Raceway in Perth; Greyhound Park in Angle Park, Adelaide; Albion Park in Brisbane; and Sandown Greyhounds in Melbourne.[3] Other major locations include the Illawarra town of Dapto, and Hobart and Launceston, in Tasmania.

The Melbourne Cup for greyhounds is reputably the world's richest greyhound race, with a prize pool of A$600,000 in 2015.[4] In Sydney, the 2013 Golden Easter Egg had a first prize of A$250,000.[5]

History

The date of the first greyhound race in Australia is not known.

In 1936, the Dapto Greyhound Club gained a licence to run greyhound racing under the supervision of the Dapto Agricultural & Horticultural Society, holding up to 40 meetings per year. In 1942 the Australian Army seized the racecourse until 1944 when greyhound racing was resumed.[6]

2015 live baiting controversy and subsequent fallout

In February 2015, a series of media reports detailed widespread use of live bait animals in the training of racing greyhounds.[1] Despite self-regulatory efforts to address the issue of live baiting and other animal welfare issues,[7] the revelation led to suspensions, inquiries, widespread condemnation of the practice, and, following an inquiry, to the banning of greyhound racing in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory with effect from 1 July 2017,[8][9][10] following the passage of legislation.[11][12]

On 11 October 2016 the NSW ban was reversed, with several conditions:[13]

  1. Fewer tracks
  2. Fewer races
  3. Breeding capped at 2,000
  4. A bond of A$1,500 for each dog
  5. Whole of life management for each dog[13]

As of September 2016, in other states investigations and government inquiries were ongoing.

Popular culture

In Australian slang, the term Dapto dog is rhyming slang for wog, a derogatory racist slur for a person of Mediterranean background,[14] 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.[15] Dapto is also home to Australia's largest greyhound pup auctions in Australia.[16]

Notable Australian owners of racing greyhounds include Tony Lockett,[16] Tim Cahill,[17] and Ricky Ponting.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 Meldrum-Hanna, Caro; Clark, Sam (18 February 2015). "Making a Killing". Four Corners. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "Greyhound racing". Animals Australia. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  3. ↑ Ernst, Katherine (11 September 2015). "Greyhound racing tracks in Australia". Australian Greyhound Racing. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "TAB Melbourne Cup". Sandown Greyhounds. 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  5. ↑ Georgakopoulos, Chris (28 March 2013). "Cranebrooks John and Minnie Finn will race two greyhounds in the Golden Easter Egg final". Penrith Press. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  6. ↑ "History of Dapto Dogs". The Dapto Greyhound Racing Club. 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  7. ↑ "Then and Now: 12 Months of Reform" (PDF). Greyhound Racing NSW. February 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  8. ↑ "Greyhound racing to be banned in New South Wales, Baird Government announces". ABC News. Australia. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  9. ↑ Roots, Chris (18 February 2015). "Greyhound racing live baiting revelations should be a turning point for industry, says new chief executive". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "NSW Premier Mike Baird announces ban on greyhound racing after Special Commission of Inquiry". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  11. ↑ Fogarty, Siobhan (24 August 2016). "Greyhound racing ban: Nationals MPs cross floor as bill passes Parliament". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  12. ↑ Nicholls, Sean (24 August 2016). "Greyhound racing banned after bill passes NSW parliament". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  13. 1 2 Glanville, Brigid; Gerathy, Sarah (11 October 2016). "NSW Premier confirms backflip on greyhound racing ban". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  14. ↑ "Dapto dog". Australian slang: Slang Dictionary. 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  15. ↑ Blake, Elissa (2 July 2015). "Griffin Theatre's Dapto Chaser goes to the dogs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  16. 1 2 Cockington, James (20 June 2012). "This is no slumdog". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  17. ↑ "Tim Cahill could win richest greyhound race". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 April 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  18. ↑ "Ricky Ponting goes quiet on greyhound defence". Financial Review. Australia. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.

External links


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