The clock is ticking on the Melbourne Cup
BY MEHREEN FARUQI
Senator for NSW, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens
We have campaigned together over the years to bring an end to the carnival of cruelty that is the Melbourne Cup. We know it is beyond repair and anachronistic.
Our shared belief that cruel, gambling fuelled horse racing has no place in society, and our work to expose the suffering of horses, has pushed this campaign to new heights over the years. Public support against horse racing is at an all time high, showing how much the community values animal welfare.
Independent polling commissioned by my office found that almost two thirds of Australians believe racing animals like horses and greyhounds for gambling and entertainment is cruel. This figure has been steadily increasing, from 55% in 2021 and 59% in 2022, to 64% in 2023.
We are winning the fight against the cruel and callous horse racing industry, but there is still much work to be done to protect horses.
Year after year we see the painful deaths and horrible suffering of horses at the hands of the brutal racing industry.
Seven horses have died as a result of the Melbourne Cup in the past decade. This is just the tip of the iceberg though. At least 168 horses have been killed at an Australian racetrack in 2023 alone.
Thousands more die off-track each year, from injury, neglect, and slaughter after they stop making a profit. While horses are alive, they are subjected to cruel practices like whipping and tongue tying. All for the sake of a bet.
As the most grotesque symbol of gambling, violence, and alcoholism, we know that the Melbourne Cup must be brought to an end.
People ask how we can stop the Melbourne Cup ending in tragedy? The answer is simple. Shut it down. And this end might be closer than we think.
After nearly 40 years, fashion sponsor Myer ended their partnership with the Melbourne Cup in June. Just a few weeks ago, we had the cancellation of the Melbourne Cup Parade. These revelations just go to show that the long, hard work of animal welfare activists and protesters is paying off. The tide of public opinion is turning against the Cup and those around the Cup can sense this fast approaching swell.
Being an animal advocate and activist used to be a lonely space but things are changing. More and more people are joining our movement every year.
But while more and more people are switching off from racing, companies involved in horse betting are donating more and more to political parties to try and stave off their irrelevance. In 2019-2020 almost half a million dollars in political donations were made to the Liberals, Nationals and Labor.
Most people see horse racing as a cruel, archaic industry that flourishes on the torture of beautiful horses and it’s well past time for politicians and companies to catch up.
But an industry shutdown would not just benefit racehorses. There are more than 300 racetracks in use across the country, and many of them have only a handful of race meetings per year. These spaces could be converted to much-needed green spaces and community facilities in both regional and metropolitan areas, and put to much better use than inflicting cruelty on animals.
So, what comes next for our campaign and what can we do to get closer to shutting this industry down for good?
With Myer making an exit from the Melbourne cup and the social license of the industry fading fast, the writing is on the wall for other sponsors. Any business that sponsors horse racing has blood on their hands and they should follow Myer’s lead.
Earlier this year I wrote to primary Melbourne Cup sponsors, urging them to do just that. These are Lexus Australia, Lion Australia (Furphy), Treasury Wine Estates (Penfolds), and Kennedy. I let the sponsors know that they had a clear choice: move with the times or leave themselves stranded as one of the last few championing a barbaric industry.
To help build public pressure against these companies, the Greens also launched a campaign giving you an opportunity to email these sponsors directly. If you have already taken part in our campaign by demanding action from Cup sponsors, I thank you deeply, and ask that you spread this message far and wide to let your family, friends, colleagues, and community know that people are rejecting the cruelty and toxicity of racing.
I am so proud of our work together and our movement for good is growing, but we’re not done yet!
We know the racing industry can’t change and won’t change, and the major parties won’t look past their own pockets filled by gambling industry donations. It’s on us now to come together and continue to fight for animals.
Horse racing kills. No horse is safe at the Melbourne cup or any other race. It’s beyond time to shut down this industry. It can and must be done.
I hope you can join me in saying ‘Nup to the Cup’ once again this year!
