The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (14:42): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question without notice to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing on the topic of greyhound racing.
Leave granted.
The Hon. R.A. SIMMS: This week, Tasmanian Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, pledged to wind up greyhound racing in the state by 30 June 2029, citing concerns about the welfare of participants and greyhounds. The move comes after a champion greyhound was euthanised after suffering cervical spinal injuries from a fall in a race last month, the second racing death in Tasmania this year. The Tasmanian government have indicated that they will establish a parliamentary committee to oversee the transition and to map out the pathway forward. Greyhound racing was banned in the ACT in 2018, and last year it was also banned in New Zealand.
My question to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, therefore, is: given the inherent cruelty of greyhound racing, when will the South Australian government finally commit to banning it here in South Australia?
The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:43): I thank the honourable member for his question. The state government has made it very clear when it comes to the greyhound raising industry that they must reform and continue to close that gap to be able to keep up with community expectations but provide a safe environment for everyone involved.
As you would be aware, the Graham Ashton recommendations were brought through not only this parliament but also it has been very broadly known within the community about the fact that we have done an independent review and we now have put an independent body into this process to make sure we can follow these recommendations because we do not just want to have recommendations be made available but then not have any oversight of them as well.
We know that this is an important point. We are at the year mark already and I think 41 recommendations have been met. There is a long way to go and the industry knows that they need to meet these recommendations and that the industry is in their hands.
The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (14:45): Supplementary: what timeframe has the minister set for the implementation of these recommendations and what action will she be taking if the recommendations are not implemented?
The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:45): As was part of the recommendations that were put forward, they had two years to achieve those recommendations. We are just at the year mark, so they are halfway through. They have another year to achieve those recommendations.
As I said earlier, it is up to the greyhound industry to work through them, with oversight from the integrity body, to make sure they are being delivered. Some of the things they have achieved are that I understand Greyhound Racing SA has recently announced that Andrew Baker, a former ICAC Director of Investigations with a strong background in animal welfare and compliance, has been appointed as the organisation's new general manager for welfare and we are now the first state to ban artificial insemination as well. So there have been things that have been achieved because of these recommendations. They have a long way to go, but they know, more than anyone, that this industry is in their hands.