Page 4966 - Week 13 - Thursday, 2 November 2017

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video


The CGRC has operated for almost four decades with an unblemished animal welfare & integrity record. Despite the smears & unfounded attacks by our opponents there has never been a single complaint, let alone an adverse finding against us for any reason.

We have adhered to or exceeded every regulation & law applied to racing since our inception. The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) supports our ongoing operations because of our excellent record. It is little more than a year since former Minister Gentleman also stated ACT Labor supported funding & racing because of our excellent record, contributions to the community & positive economic impact.

I am not going to read the whole thing but it goes on to say:

The rudeness & dismissal of the AVA this week by refusing to meet with them & directing them to the Transition Taskforce typifies the treatment of the greyhound industry & community. The Taskforce has no policy formulation role & is irrelevant to the discussions the AVA wished to have with you.

Given the role of veterinarians in animal welfare, it is clear that you did not wish to hear what they had to say because it does not align with your political agenda.

You have had to acknowledge our unblemished record publicly. You now simply offer a shallow rationale of greyhound racing being no longer in line with “community values”—

although I do note that in the minister’s speech while tabling the bill today community values was left out completely. That phone polling must have been pretty bad.

… as the reason to trade off our jobs & livelihoods for those of Andrew Barr and Shane Rattenbury as outlined in the Parliamentary Agreement.

That is from Alan Tutt. I think it is despicable, cowardly, shameful and absolutely unforgiveable.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

The Assembly adjourned at 5.33 pm until Tuesday, 28 November 2017, at 10 am.


Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video