Image: Animal Justice Party NSW/Instagram
Animal Justice Party (AJP) MP Emma Hurst called out Minns’ Parliament’s response about the Inquiry into the Greyhound Racing industry on Wednesday, November 20, claiming that the racing minister rejected the AJP’s invitation to come back to supplementary budget estimates and to answer questions about the industry.
Animal Liberation hosted a protest in conjunction with the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds, Animal Justice Party and animal rights group PETA in order to bring attention to the inhumane and cruel sport that continues to take place in Australia, despite multiple campaigns to bring back the proposed 2017 ban proposed by former NSW Liberal Premier Mike Baird.
The attendees held posters and placards showing the abused racing greyhounds, containing slogans such as “You Bet, Dogs Die,” and “Pets not Bets.”
Among those in attendance were MPs Kobi Shetty, Alex Greenwich, Abigail Boyd, and Emma Hurst, calling for Parliament to stop extending the lease on the Wentworth Park racing track when it expires in 2027.
“Government-sanctioned animal cruelty”
A recent greyhound death has incited more outrage from anti-racing groups and individuals. On Thursday, November 14, a 34th greyhound has died racing in Wentworth Park since October 2016.
Lea Drake, the MP responsible for the ongoing Drake Inquiry into the racing industry, was among those invited by Hurst to answer questions about the industry, and allegedly rejected the invitation. City Hub reached out to Drake and her team for comment, but received no response.
“It is quite unheard of for government agencies or government officials and departments to actually refuse to come back and answer questions on supplementary budget estimate hearings,” said Hurst.
Greens MP Abigail Boyd, who spoke at the protest, said the parliament is ignoring “government-sanctioned animal cruelty.”
“We’ve put forward a bill that essentially outlaws greyhound racing in New South Wales. It brings back the ban that we originally had here. We have tabled a long title of that bill and we’ll bring it on for second reading early next year, and bring it up for debate.”
“It’s really time that we bring back the ban on greyhound racing in New South Wales, because we’ve seen so many greyhounds killed since that ban was reversed,” said Hurst.
Continued Support
In a letter addressed to NSW Premier Chris Minns, Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO professed her continued support for the return of Wentworth Park to the people as a public space and future housing project.
