New South Wales Premier Mike Baird announced on October 12 that he is dropping the ban on greyhound racing. The Baird government had promised to put an end to the popular greyhound racing industry in the state after reports showed that animal cruelty was high in the industry. Baird had made it clear when he announced the ban that there was no room for negotiation and that the industry would close during July 2017.
The Baird government suddenly decided to drop the ban and Baird issued a statement saying that he had made a hasty decision as the majority of the community wants the industry to have a second chance. The NSW Cabinet ministers signed an order earlier this week that set aside the ban imposed earlier.
They will be adopting a new policy allowing greyhound racing to continue but with changes such as fewer races, increased animal welfare measures including tougher penalties and whole-of- life management. An oversight body will be convened, headed by Former NSW premier Morris Iemma to draw up the new regulatory framework.
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Speaking to the media, Premier Mike Baird denied that his reversal had impacted his credibility but acknowledged that he would be criticized for getting the initial decision wrong but added that no one including governments were infallible. The Premier dismissed results from a poll that showed that most people from NSW were in favor of the ban.
NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley pointed out that for three months Baird had been vocal about the ills of greyhound racing but had changed his mind on the ban suddenly. However greyhound senior industry leaders have welcomed the decision.
In a statement, Brenton Scott, Chief executive of the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association, said
We need to put our greyhounds first. There is no evidence that suggests that wrongdoing is part of systemic culture or part of the activities of the vast majority of decent, hard-working participants within this industry. It would be wrong to penalize on a collective punishment basis the majority, for the sins of a few
The elections are scheduled to be held towards the end of this year and recent polling suggested that the government had fallen behind after it made the decision to ban the greyhound industry. The decision to revoke the ban has been attributed to Baird wanting to regain public support.
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