Well, I know what you’re thinking. You’ve been suckered into another headline that is just mere clickbait, telling a story of something that happened on the other side of the world, stripped of context to make it more absurd.
Alas, I’m talking about what politicians want to do here, and now, in Australia, criminalising an activity and introducing punitive measures to enforce their will.
In the NSW Parliament, the NSW Greens have been in the media promoting their Bill to ban greyhound racing.
That’s fine, but as always compliant journalists seem to do little more than copy and paste press releases, rather than reading the draft Bill, considering the consequences if it became law, and then informing the public what that would entail.
So, let’s have a look at it properly, shall we, and give ourselves the chance to pass fair judgement.
(The bill, currently drafted by Green MP John Kaye, is here.)
Sneakily buried deep in the second-last page of the draft Bill is how to deal with an expected issue, that there would be no greyhound racing in NSW but it would exist in other states.
Therefore, the Bill would make it an offence for a person in NSW to bet on a greyhound race that is lawfully being conducted in another state, punishable by up to one year imprisonment.
That’s right, the retirees at your local RSL will be risking a year in the slammer for a $1 bet at Sandown.
Remarkably, if you organised a greyhound race in NSW, as explained clearly in the Explanatory Notes on Page 2 of the draft Bill, you will be liable only for a fine up to $5,500.
Of course, this puritanical clause isn’t outlined in the press releases, and journalism 101 is to take all politicians at their word, not to question them with the cynicism that they’ve well and truly earned in the state of NSW.
Imagine the education programs, where the racecaller has to patiently explain to NSW viewers that if they try and have a $1 flutter on the next at the Meadows, they’re risking a year at Silverwater Correctional Complex.
This part of the Bill was written out of pure spite and should be condemned as such. It’s prohibition-era, not progressive, politics that is simply about kicking people with different interests.
There are also a large number of animal welfare issues that the Bill itself creates.
In a later article, I’ll go through what this Bill would mean for the greyhounds and whether it should be seen as a serious attempt to enhance animal welfare outcomes, and contrast it to what GRNSW is implementing right now.
RAF
Guest
Hey Rufus would you say that about fishing? How barbaric and abusive is that. Steel hooks in mouths, being pulled up from a depth so quickly their guts spill. I could go on but it too is an industry that abuses animals for entertainment.
Derek
Guest
A lot of people attack John Kaye for this Bill and other policies. The Greens and Animal welfare groups exist only as a reaction to exploitation of resources and animals at any cost. They have no secret agenda for world domination or for making us all vegan (that's the crazies at PETA). They exist solely to keep the b****s honest and to provide a balance. The Greens were side by side with farmers to stop the Mary Valley being dammed and more recently coal seam mining. They aren't the enemy. I would not worry too much about the nitty gritty in the Bill as he knows full well that his Bill won't get up but it puts welfare front and centre again. Governments in general in this country find animal welfare way too hard and pass it down to state and local Governments. With a more switched on population than ever before, issues that were once seen as being owned by "Lefties, Greenies and Hippies" are now being thoughtfully considered by middle Australia. Greyhound Racing will not be banned but I suspect very expensive to be involved in. That's my two cents worth.
;susan absalom
Guest
These animals are well bred and don't generally have the structural problems other breeds of dogs have, they like to run and chase and if they don't then they are not on the race track. They are well fed, wormed etc and have regular visits to the vet. What this discussion is about is the absurdity of 12 months gaol for having a bet on a legitimate greyhound race. To finish on animal cruelty it is my opinion that filming animal cruelty over a period of time rather than reporting an incident asap after you have witnessed it is animal cruelty at its worst. It is knowingly allowing it to happen and doing nothing until you decide when you want to report it.
AaronC
Guest
Because its a farce, thats why. greyhound racing can't exist without grinding these beautiful noble elegant animals into the ground. It can't exist without killing dogs on the track. It can't exist without its own brand of puppy milling and rampant disposal. It won't exist without live baiting. It won;t exist without drugging. It won't exist without deadbeats treating these animals like cheap disposable throwaways. Its barbaric and outdated and needs shut down the world over. Its a pointless needless waste of life for frivolous reasons. Theres plenty of other things gamblers can get their thrill from, lets not kill dogs just so addicts can be entertained.
Nathan Absalom
Roar Guru
Bankrolling animal welfare initiatives has a well documented history of greatly enhancing the wellbeing of animals, in this case benefit both the greyhounds and society in general. Why not do that instead?
AaronC
Guest
Bankrolling cruelty has a well documented history of encouraging these low-lifes. I'd like to see it happen! Its not like this industry is ever going to clean up its own act.
Nathan Absalom
Roar Guru
I don't think anyone is arguing that animal cruelty shouldn't be subject to a gaol sentence, it already is. But to gaol someone who hasn't harmed an animal in any way, shape or form seems ridiculous, and vindictive to me.
Rufus Lelevrier
Guest
Suck it up, Nathan! Anyone who seeks to profit from an industry that abuses animals for entertainment deserves a stiff gaol sentence.
AaronC
Guest
Whatever it takes to shut this mongrel industry down.