2016-08-15
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Training and Skills representing the Minister for Racing. Legislation is proceeding through the Parliament of New South Wales to put an end to greyhound racing in that state by 1 July 2017 due to the comprehensive and disturbing findings of the special commission of inquiry conducted by Michael McHugh, AC, QC. Among many other serious problems in the greyhound industry, his report found that up to 68 000 healthy greyhounds had been killed in New South Wales in the last 12 years and that the problems in the industry are 'insuperable'.
The 2015 report by the Victorian racing integrity commissioner (RIC) estimated that as many as 4000 greyhounds are killed in Victoria every year — that is 48 000 over 12 years. He said this warranted a thorough review. My question is: is the government undertaking any review into the extent of the deliberate culling or so-called 'wastage' of greyhounds that have been either injured or deemed unsuitable for racing in Victoria?
Mr HERBERT (Minister for Training and Skills) — I thank the member for her detailed question. Of course we take animal safety and breaches of it and animal cruelty very seriously.
Ms Pulford interjected.
Mr HERBERT — And my colleague the deputy leader here in particular has introduced many measures to enhance animal welfare in this state. Can I just say that when it comes to greyhound racing, we of course have taken decisive action — long before the issue arose in New South Wales — to strengthen offences for live baiting and other matters, to bolster the powers of Greyhound Racing Victoria and to really put a regime of oversight and compliance in place, and we will continue to do that. We will continue to review the effectiveness of those measures, including whelping and a whole range of things. I will, however, on the specifics get back to the member with a detailed answer.
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — Minister, Victoria is not on top of the situation with respect to the culture and practices in the greyhound industry, and despite your answer and the interjection from the Minister for Agriculture, Victoria has had two very superficial inquiries — the Perna own-motion inquiry, which went for four months, was about 114 pages and focused only on live baiting; and the Milne report, which went for two and a half months, was 62 pages and did not look at the issue of wastage and culling at all — as compared to the special commission, which ran for 18 months, goes to 747 pages, with 222 pages of appendices, and is very, very comprehensive and, as I said, disturbing. So my question is: will the government commission a similar comprehensive independent inquiry into greyhound racing in Victoria?
The PRESIDENT — Order! Minister, before I call you, you might actually have picked up on what Ms Pennicuik was saying, but I had difficulty because of all the interjections, so I would invite Ms Pennicuik to take it from the top with the supplementary question.
Ms PENNICUIK — Minister, Victoria is not on top of the situation in respect of the culture and practices of greyhound racing in Victoria, and the two reports that have been done in Victoria are very superficial. Sal Perna's own-motion inquiry went for four months, was 114 pages and focused basically on live baiting. The report of the chief veterinary officer (CVO), Charles Milne, went for two and a half months, was only 62 pages and did not look at culling or so-called wastage at all, as compared to the special commission in New South Wales, which is 747 pages long and very comprehensive in terms of the methodology used and the depth of inquiry. It has 222 pages of appendices and went for 18 months. That is why, when faced with that, the New South Wales government had no choice but to take the action it has.
My question is: will the government commission a similar independent commission of inquiry in Victoria?
Mr HERBERT (Minister for Training and Skills) — I thank Ms Pennicuik twice for her supplementary question. We have had some significant inquiries and reports in Victoria, and I dispute the issue about the quality of those inquiries. We had the RIC and the CVO reports, and when we look at the New South Wales report with 79 recommendations, some 30 of them were covered by the Victorian reports and inquiries and are being acted upon right now. The vast majority of the others were to do with the New South Wales regulatory regime.
Not only are we implementing those reports but we have significantly increased funding for greyhound welfare and administrative measures. Gap funding has increased by 290 per cent this financial year, funding for animal welfare has increased by 600 per cent and we are spending more on integrity and stewards — that has increased by 200 per cent this financial year. We are putting a lot of money in. The reports were quite comprehensive. But in regard to the final decision, I shall take that on notice and seek advice and get back to Ms Pennicuik.