Dr WOODRUFF – Thanks to the Greens greyhound inquiry in 2015, it is now a requirement that greyhounds exiting the greyhound racing industry must be rehomed and the Greyhound Adoption Program is tasked with this work. Can you tell me whether Tasracing will be conducting inspections of GAP under the new legislation?
Ms WILSON – The integrity unit and the current chief vet in Tasracing would be able to ensure that there was appropriate oversight of the GAP facility, but, as noted, there’s also the new TasRIC, who would have independent investigation powers, will be setting animal welfare and integrity standards. They will be supported by an animal welfare and integrity committee, which has RSPCA on it, and we’ve also got the capacity for independent investigation by RSPCA Tasmania and by Biosecurity Tasmania.
Dr WOODRUFF – Thank you, deputy secretary. My question is: will there be regular inspections of GAP by Tasracing? Not ‘these other bodies are just advisory bodies’ or ‘there might be inspections’. Will there be regular mandated inspections of GAP?
Ms WILSON – The bill provides for the setting of standards by the commissioner. If the commissioner determines that there’s a requirement for a standard relating to inspections of not only racing participants but other facilities that were within their scope of power, then that’s a possibility. So, I think that provides an adequate oversight – the model for.
Dr WOODRUFF – The Greens are on the record for being concerned with that, because it is within an industry body that is – Dr Lenz, who you mentioned before, was the person who wrote the GAP throughput working group, recommended the update in 2023, was the person who has proposed an increase in cases of euthanasia as an appropriate step in response to the frustration, as that document says, of greyhound participants towards GAP; the very vast numbers of greyhounds that are not able to be rehomed in a timely fashion, compared to the numbers that are coming out of the industry.
So, there is a concern, minister, that this is not the body that’s going to be able to do the inspections that need to be done, and it is within the industry, closer to the industry than it currently is. Aren’t you concerned about the impacts on those greyhounds? The situation is already terrible, and you’re moving it to worse.
Ms HOWLETT – Thank you, Dr Woodruff. The deputy secretary has some more information that she would like to add.
Dr WOODRUFF – Sorry, maybe I’ll provide more context. Under the rehoming of notice requirements in the local greyhound rules of racing, at the moment all power to sign greyhound death warrant sits, at the moment, with the director of racing. When will the local rules be changed? Can you confirm who will replace the director in making that decision?
Ms WILSON – The model sets up roles for particular parties. At this stage, the model is there. Through implementation, there’ll be determination about where some activities sit. But, what the bill does do – sorry, the act once it’s in place – is set up a robust framework, because of the role of the Tasmanian Racing Integrity Commissioner, because that is a new role and it has new powers to set animal welfare and integrity standards, and, as I’ve said – as I might repeat what I’ve said before – but all those other things that sit around that, in terms of the framework.
Dr WOODRUFF – Thank you, and through you, minister, too, she didn’t answer that question. So, when will local rules be changed? When will the local rules of racing be changed? And, who will replace the director in the current role of the rehoming of notice requirements, the signing off of the power to sign greyhound death warrants? At the moment, it’s with the director of racing. When will you confirm this change, and when are the local rules going to be changed?
Ms WILSON – As part of implementation of the act, there needs to be a process of reviewing the rules. At the moment – and this will stay the same – the rules of racing are solely a matter for Tasracing. That review will then determine some of the roles that sit under the rules. But, it needs to take into account the new model. So, that’s how that will work. We’ll undertake a review.
Dr WOODRUFF – Until then, what will happen? When the new law changes, what will happen to the situation about who? Like you said, this process has to happen, blah blah. What will happen once this law gets royal assent in that space before all that work is done? Will everything remain as it is, in terms of those decisions?
Ms WILSON – Through you, minister: the chief racing integrity officer would replace the Director of Racing in most instances, I would assume, in the rules of racing, but that process has not been undertaken, as I indicated. If the decision‑maker sits in the Tasracing Integrity Unit, there is oversight from the Tasracing Integrity Commissioner which provides an extra framework and a series of protections under the new regime.
