Page 3058 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 22 August 2017
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Following Ms Durkin’s report, the ACT government established the greyhound industry transition task force to oversee funding and support arrangements for those exiting the industry. ACT employees of the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club will be eligible for support. Contractors, businesses and their employees who provide racing-related services to the club will also be eligible, as well as ACT residents active and registered as breeders or owners of racing greyhounds. Anybody who is substantially affected by the end of the industry can make an application to the task force for support, and we encourage them to do so.
The transition task force has expanded on the recommendations in the Durkin report to offer a suite of creative and practical options for support, guided by individual need. The task force will work with those affected to develop support packages that address their specific circumstances. The options available for inclusion in these individual transition support packages are: training and reskilling opportunities, including subsidised places in training programs; short-term financial support for those employed within or who can demonstrate significant dependence on the industry and who are not able to access a redundancy payment; business skills support, including subsidised assistance in business planning; specialist advice, guidance and planning about future career options; access to financial counselling and planning services; provision of interest free loans to meet immediate individual needs or micro-credit loans to re-engineer existing small businesses or support new small business ventures; and access to counselling to provide emotional support for anybody involved in the industry transition.
As well as looking to assist individuals and businesses affected by industry transition, the safety and welfare of greyhounds in the transition process will also be central. Transition support will extend to those working to rehome greyhounds, particularly where there are capacity issues or other needs. I would strongly encourage anyone who is substantially affected to express an interest in a transition support package via the greyhound industry transition task force website at www.act.gov.au\greyhoundtaskforce.
I know members are as concerned as the government is about animal welfare issues and share the community’s concerns about the treatment of greyhounds in the racing industry. The transition process is a very measured and well-planned process to ensure positive outcome results for all involved as we lead the nation and bring this industry to a close in the territory.
I present a copy of the statement:
Greyhound racing industry—Ending—Ministerial statement, 22 August 2017.
I move:
That the Assembly take note of the paper.
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