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Banning greyhound racing is not a good call Premier Baird

11th July, 2016
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Mike Baird is the Premier of NSW, the state with the biggest population in the Commonwealth.

He’s a good, positive politician for his state, a man with vision who thinks outside the box.

But he’s made a bad call to wipe out the greyhound industry in NSW by July 1 next year.

I’ll put my cards on the table as a North Shore Liberal voter, and I still say the premier has got it wrong.

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There are thousands of animal lovers who can’t afford to buy a thoroughbred, or a trotter, but can afford to own a dog.

Sure, there are criminal elements and cruel operators in greyhound racing, but the vast majority are clean and for many of them it’s their full-time employment and enjoyment – they love their dogs.

It’s a reported $350 million industry in NSW, and if the premier’s decision goes ahead, many thousands will be out of a job among the breeders, owners, trainers, vets, meat providers, bookies, and punters.

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Let’s look at the facts.

The Special Commission of Inquiry’s report to the NSW Government states more than 60,000 greyhounds have been slaughtered over 12 years. Their ‘crime’ is that they are too slow to be competitive.

I find that stat hard to get my head around; that there are people who could just end a dog’s life because they weren’t going to pay their way.

Surely there can’t be too many of those bastards who can be traced and properly punished?

But to wipe out an entire industry that in the main are good people, is not the Australian way.

What Premier Baird has done is flick the industry problems into the ‘too hard’ basket, and then get rid of the basket.

That’s not the Baird way either.

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But there are three organisations who reckon the premier has got it right – the RSPCA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the greyhound adoption agencies.

In fairness, all three organisations are supporting anything to stop cruelty to greyhounds and live bait for training, and that’s the way it should be.

But not a word about the collateral damage to thousands of good people who are totally innocent, but face having their livelihoods taken away.

Thankfully, there’s plenty of time left before July 1 next year for some cool-headed discussions.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

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