‘On edge’: vote imminent on greyhound racing’s future
A state’s greyhound racing community is “on edge” ahead of a vote on whether to ban the sport, saying proposed compensation doesn’t go far enough.
The Tasmanian parliament’s upper house is expected to vote on legislation this week that would phase out the sector by mid-2029.
The bill, put forward by the ruling liberal minority, has passed the state’s lower house, but the outcome in the independent-dominated upper house is uncertain.
The ACT is the only jurisdiction in Australia to suspend greyhound racing; The short-term ban announced in NSW in 2016 has been lifted.
The debate was further fueled in the days before the vote when more than 1,000 prominent Tasmanians signed an open newspaper letter pressing for a ban on the industry.
Signatories included former prime ministers Liberal Will Hodgman and Labor’s David Bartlett, as well as actors such as Bonnie Sveen and Luke McGregor.
The government’s proposed $4.8 million compensation package for greyhound racers has been criticized by the industry for being inadequate and lacking in detail.
Prime Minister Jeremy Rockliff has been accused of selling shares after writing a letter of support to the industry before the July election.
He announced the ban in August during minority government discussions with a progressive group.
“This is not a situation we thought we would find ourselves in after a letter from the premier confirming his full support for the legislation,” Greyhound Tasmania’s Ben Englund said.
“Everyone is a bit nervous. It’s obvious the Tasmanian participants are going to get ripped off.”
In the open letter, it is stated that the sector, which has approximately 1000 participants in Tasmania, has lost its social license, drawing attention to the recent bans in Scotland, Wales and New Zealand.
According to data compiled by the Greyhound Protection Coalition, 287 greyhounds were injured and two died in Tasmania in 2025.
An independent report published in 2025 said the sport appeared to be in decline in the state, noting that race attendances and betting amounts had fallen.
Mr Englund does not believe greyhounds have lost their social license.
“To me, it’s a term made up for left-wing socialists and extremists who want to twist every debate into an emotional battle,” he said.
“Our injury rates have increased by 25 percent in the last five years.”
Undeterred upper house independent Rosemary Armitage wants to see a wider investigation into the industry and questions whether there is enough evidence to warrant a phase-out.
“This was probably the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” he told ABC radio on Tuesday.
“We all love our animals. Some people do wrong things… but there are good people in the industry.”
The 2029 phase-out date coincides with the expiration of state government funding for sports.
The state’s industry-supporting Labor opposition has three MPs in the 15-seat upper house. There are three Liberals, eight independents and one Green.
