Independent MLC Bec Thomas says the urgency has “evaporated” from the plan to ban greyhound racing in Tasmania, as the bill stalls in the Legislative Council for the second time in five months.
The Greyhound Racing Legislation Amendments (Phasing Out Reform) bill 2025 was withdrawn from the upper house’s agenda on Thursday, less than 24 hours after debate began.
It follows a December 2025 decision by the Legislative Council to refer the bill to a Joint Standing Committee, delaying a final vote by months.
Thomas said the government’s shifting timeline raised serious questions about its commitment to the policy.
“Only a matter of months ago, the government was insisting this bill needed to be progressed swiftly and treated as a priority,” she said.
“Suddenly that urgency appears to have evaporated.”
Thomas said Tasmanians deserved answers.
“Does the government still intend to proceed with its policy to phase out greyhound racing and breeding in Tasmania?” she said.
“And if not, what has changed and what are its intentions now?”
Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced the phase-out last year, promising to end greyhound racing by June 2029.
The bill cleared the House of Assembly in December 2025, with the government arguing at the time it was urgent and needed to pass quickly.
Instead, the upper house referred it to committee, pushing a final vote to April and now mid-May at the earliest.
Rockliff insisted the policy was still on track.
“We are committed to ending greyhound racing in Tasmania,” he said.
“We will continue to work with the Legislative Council to phaseout the greyhound industry in a considered and measured way that supports industry participants and puts animal welfare at the forefront.”
The premier framed the delay as Labor’s fault, rather than a failure to win over independents holding the balance in the upper house.
“If the Winter-Willie opposition supported the ban it would be done today. The only reason there is not a ban is Labor,” Rockliff said.
Labor racing spokesman Dean Winter rejected that framing.
“Premier Rockliff sold out hundreds of working families for political expediency because he thinks keeping his job is more important than hard working Tasmanians keeping theirs,” he said.
“For nine months, greyhound racing participants’ lives, businesses and families have been in limbo.“
“Communities, businesses, livelihoods have been put on trial and waiting for an outcome. This uncertainty helps no one.”
RSPCA Tasmania chief executive Andrea Dawkins backed the deferral.
“It was right not to risk this once-in-a- generation opportunity, with some legislative councillors having publicly stated that they still needed more information,” Dawkins said.
The May return date falls during budget week and coincides with Legislative Council elections for Rosevears and Huon, which could change the upper house’s makeup before any vote.
