Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 29 August I went to the meeting of the Wagga Wagga and district greyhound racing club. At that particular meeting, I was impressed by the number of young families who went to the track for a night's sport and entertainment—not only young families but a lot of young tradies.

I caught up with a group of them. They'd had quite a few bourbon and cokes by this stage of the evening, and they were very pleased to see me—trust me! It was interesting. They wanted a few selfies and all the rest, but—I won't say 'through their alcohol fuelled or gambling induced vision'—I tell you what, they were very, very proud of the fact that they were working on the reconstruction and refurbishment of the eternal flame in Wagga Wagga's Victory Memorial Gardens. They went out of their way to tell me so.

It wasn't long after that that we reopened that particular honour roll and eternal flame. Wagga Wagga City Council was successful in applying for a $147,425 grant through the federal government's Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program. I thank the government for that and for the funding. But the point that I want to make is that those young blokes were proud Australians. They were very patriotic and they were so very pleased that they were part of something that they felt was very historic and very special for our city—and, indeed, it is because it honours the service and sacrifice of so many who've gone before us.

It wasn't long after that meeting and then the rededication and reopening of that particular important military monument that we learned that the Wagga Wagga greyhound track is due for closure. Under a new rule from Greyhound Racing NSW following a report handed to them, the club has to show cause as to why it should remain open. They have spent $200,000 on kennelling. They have spent $20,000 on upgrading their canteen. This is all in recent months—not over a whole host of time but just in recent months. They attract families. They've got three full-time employees and a casual who are all going to be out of work. Wagga Wagga and Young—also in the Riverina—are among these closures. They will also affect Coonamble, Kempsey, Moree, Potts Park, Tamworth and Wauchope by the end of this year, with TAB tracks at Wagga Wagga, Maitland and Broken Hill to follow by June 2026.

I'll tell you one thing. When you attack battlers—and that's what the people who attend greyhound meetings are—when you have a crack at them, as the former Liberal-National state government found out, they don't like it. Even people who perhaps wouldn't have ever gone to a greyhound meeting don't like it, because they see people who are doing nothing more than just trying to have a night out. They've improved the welfare of their sport immeasurably—and they needed to, but they have done that. And then you've got people like president Ben Talbot and his hardworking committee at Wagga Wagga and the club at Young and others besides being told that they can't race. Greyhound Racing NSW have got something coming to them, and so has the state government if it goes ahead with this. Bruce Baird, Troy Grant and others found out the hard way. When you go and close down the industry, as they did—and I can't understand why the Liberals in Tasmania are taking Greens votes by closing down greyhound racing on the Apple Isle—it just makes no good sense.

People in country Australia are sick of copping it in the neck. Whether it's greyhounds, environmental laws, fewer doctors, no funding for roads or whatever the case might be, people have had a gutful, and woe betide the New South Wales state government if it then endorses this ill-thought-out, ill-conceived, stupid report that has been presented to Greyhound Racing NSW suggesting that all of those tracks close.

Why should they? Why shouldn't they have a sport which, in Wagga Wagga, has been going for 98 long, successful years? Why shouldn't they be able to continue the lease? The Wagga Wagga Showground wants them? They're doing a great job for sport, entertainment and families, and for the young tradies. This is an outrage. It shouldn't be tolerated. Good luck to the Wagga greyhound club. May it remain open.