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We should package tax changes to a greyhound welfare fund

Greyhound racing has been banned in NSW. (Zchangu/Wikimedia Commons)
Roar Guru
28th April, 2015
6

Usually Government budgets are not something that should be written about on a sporting website. Like watching Mike Atherton score a ton, they are dour and boring affairs.

This year though, there’s a lot of pressure from the three codes of racing for NSW to alter their tax take to be the equivalent of Victoria.

The truth is that, historically, raising Government revenue has been hugely influential on all three codes of racing. The Government always takes their cut, first by owning the TAB as a monopoly and then by extracting profits when they sold it. If you ask the question who profits most from racing in NSW, the Government and by extension the people of NSW, are pretty high up on the list.

There’s also been a parallel and heated, yet disconnected discussion about animal welfare in racing. It’s been easy for some politicians and sections of the media to argue that the community in general have higher expectations then previously for animal welfare from the three codes in racing.

Yet asking the community to forego some of these profits to meet these expectations has been just too hard for these very same people. It’s been crocodile tears and self-interest all the way, and “animal welfare” has become a byword for reinforcing prejudices about people rather than helping people to make the greyhound or horse happy.

The truth is that the best way to improve animal welfare is to invest money and resources on the animal itself.

Let’s take greyhound racing, since it’s been most heavily discussed in the media. Right now, with the intercode agreement and the tax treatment for NSW, there is something in the vicinity of $35 million annually that could be available.

That’s not pocket money, the amount of prizemoney paid in NSW is only $23 million annually at this time, and it’s a wad of money with truly transformative potential if properly spent, more than a few schmackos and a chicken nugget.

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Let’s look at an example of how other jurisdictions have dealt with these issues. In Great Britain, the retired greyhound trust of Great Britain rehomes over 4,000 greyhounds each year.

Around $8 million annually is spent in total, with around $3 million from the racing funds, and a lot of volunteer hours are needed to make this work. But with time, money, some vision and purpose there’s a huge amount that can be done with plenty to spare for prizemoney increases.

But here in NSW, successive Governments have always acted like that annoying friend who doesn’t shout a round all evening, then insists on splitting the cab in four equal amounts. All this while his three mates have gone from the city to Lewisham and he’s continued all the way to Lithgow.

Right now, if a greyhound is retired and rehomed through one of the greyhound adoption programs, they are put on a queue and the costs of keeping the greyhound are borne by the owner. It’s really not that difficult to subsidise food and veterinary bills for these greyhounds while they’re on the queue out of these funds. It sends the right signal from the Government that they are prepared to invest in animal welfare.

I could continue, but surely you get the picture. If you want better animal welfare outcomes, spend the damn money on the dog; it’s not rocket science.

The money is available through what is punted through the TAB and siphoned off by the Government. It should instead go into a fund that is administered by people who genuinely care about the racing animals and as an incentive to change the culture within the sport for the better.

You will find people who will gladly volunteer time and effort. But we as a society, via the Government as a proxy, do little to nothing to support them.

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Right now, we need vision and leadership from the top brass of racing. The clean slate at the top of the greyhounds (GRNSW) has presented a unique opportunity for the Government to be given the direction it needs. Articulate how the funds will be used to overcome a challenge that others still baulk at, and increase the prizemoney to levels where the owners and trainers cease to bleed money.

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