Tasmania is set to become the first state in Australia to ban greyhound racing, with legislation to phase out the industry expected to pass the lower house today.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the House of Assembly would “debate legislation and pass” the bill on Thursday, paving the way for a full industry shutdown by 2029.
“Today is an historic day for the Tasmanian parliament and I don’t just mean the stadium,” he told reporters.
“The time has come to lead the nation and end greyhound racing here in Tasmania.”
Rockliff acknowledged that thousands of greyhounds currently in training would need to be rehomed during the transition period.
He said the phased approach aimed to balance animal welfare concerns with support for industry participants.
“I acknowledge, as I’ve said before, the concerns of the industry and those within the industry that will be extremely disappointed by this decision,” Rockliff said.
He also admitted he had not personally spoken with industry members who made emotional submissions about their relationships with their animals.
“But the decision has been made,” he said.
Advocate Rosie Saville, who has spent the past decade campaigning against greyhound racing, welcomed the announcement.
“The industry needed to listen. They haven’t. And this is the consequences of not listening to animal welfare advocates about the care of their dogs,” she said.
She pointed to earlier EMRS polling that found 74% of Tasmanians supported ending the industry and its government funding.
The industry, along with Labor, has criticised the legislation as rushed and politically driven.
They claim it was done to protect the minority government and lock in support from the Greens and other independents.
Greyhounds Tasmania’s Luke Gatehouse said the premier had promised to support the industry just days before the state election, only to announce a ban weeks later.
“Decisions that affect the livelihood of thousands of Tasmanians deserve to be carefully considered,” he said in a statement last month.
“The legislation has been introduced before any genuine industry consultation.”
“The premier’s rush reeks of political fear, not responsible leadership. What’s the rush?”
The bill must still pass the Legislative Council and is expected to follow the successful approval of an order for the Macquarie Point stadium.
