Greyhound industry flags legal fight over phase-out bid
A body from the greyhound racing industry may take legal action against the state government over its plan to phase out the sport.
As part of a deal to form a minority government following the state election, Tasmania’s Liberal government promised to introduce legislation in August 2025 that would end the industry by 2029.
But the proposed laws have remained in limbo since April, when the government halted debate in the upper house as it appeared poised to lose the vote.
No date has been set for the bill to be introduced to parliament, but the government maintains that public funding for sport will end in 2029, regardless of the legislation.
Prime Minister Jeremy Rockliff, who wrote a letter in support of the legislation before the election, was criticized by the greyhound racing industry for backflipping.
Greyhounds Tasmania’s Luke Gatehouse told a parliamentary committee that the move to eliminate the industry without legislation would be an inappropriate use of government power.
Mr Gatehouse said state-owned TasRacing oversees greyhound racing and is legally obliged to promote and regulate the sport.
“We have provisional legal advice that such action could subject the government to legal remedies,” he said in a statement Wednesday.
“It’s not that we want to go down this path, it’s that we want to work with the government to keep this industry going.”
Mr Gatehouse did not give further details about what legal action the government could potentially face.
The ACT is the only jurisdiction in Australia that bans greyhound racing.
The law suffered a major blow when it was announced that Sydney’s long-running Wentworth Park venue would close earlier than expected in October to make way for green space.
Mr Gatehouse said he wanted to find a “constructive solution” with the government and would push for a scenario in which the sport could continue if it were self-sufficient.
The hearing was told that, according to information in officers’ reports, 104 injuries to dogs had been recorded in Tasmania since January.
Asked if there was an acceptable level of death and injury in racing dogs, Mr Gatehouse said: “In perfect condition it would be zero, but we don’t live in a perfect world.”
Senior Liberal Minister Bridget Archer said the government was committed to phasing out the industry but would not comment on whether the Liberals had secured the numbers in the upper house to pass the legislation.
“We believe this is outside of societal expectations and must end,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
“We have seen shocking reports of dog deaths at these hearings.”
