Treasury has told a Tasmanian parliamentary committee that the economic impact of ending greyhound racing would be “manageable,” as the state racing minister and his Labor counterpart clashed over the government’s phase-out policy on Tuesday.
Deputy Secretary Dean Burgess told the Joint Standing Committee on Greyhound Racing Transition that modelling showed the impacts of reducing racing funding “would be described as manageable for the economy.”
Racing Minister Roger Jaensch, less than two months into the role, faced pointed questions from Labor’s Dean Winter about why the government was ending greyhound racing but not thoroughbred or harness racing.
“I’ve got a job to do, I believe in the job and I’ll do it to the best of my ability for all concerned,” Jaensch said.
He told the committee greyhound racing “is inherently risky and dangerous to the wellbeing and the lives of the animals involved” and that “the community’s views are quite clear.”
Winter pressed Jaensch on what the Premier’s threat to simply “defund” greyhound racing would mean if legislation did not pass the upper house.
Jaensch declined to detail any alternative plan, saying the government was focused solely on delivering an orderly transition by June 30 2029.
RSPCA Australia CEO Richard Mussell warned that pulling funding without legislation in place could backfire.
“Greyhound racing may not automatically end,” he said.
“Instead, there is a risk the industry could continue operating with reduced regulatory oversight.”
Treasury Secretary Gary Swain confirmed a review of TasRacing’s three funding deeds was due to government by the end of August, examining transparency, reporting and whether the deeds should be consolidated.
The committee also heard Tasmania’s per capita public funding for racing remains far higher than any other state, a finding Burgess said “hasn’t changed” since a 2021 Treasury report.
Breeding data provided during the hearing showed 164 greyhound pups were whelped in the 2025-26 financial year, up from 155 the previous year despite the looming phase-out.
The hearings come days after 13 greyhound racing participants expressed interest in the government’s proposed voluntary exit scheme, following the end of commercial greyhound racing in New Zealand.
The phase-out bill was pulled from the Legislative Council in April after the government conceded it did not yet have the numbers to pass.
Labor leader Josh Willie today hit back at the government’s handling of the issue, accusing Premier Jeremy Rockliff of betraying industry workers.
“What you saw last year was the leader of government writing letters to industries pledging his support, only to turn around a couple of weeks later and throw people under the bus, throw livelihoods under the bus,” Willie said.
He said the premier had made “promises to people and then throwing them under the bus for political purposes.”
While unintentionally holding his press conference in front of a ‘dogs prohibited’ sign, Willie confirmed Labor’s position “has not changed”.
“The Labor Party supports the 3 codes of racing just like the Labor Party does in every other state,” he said.
It comes amid reports Labor’s left faction has been pushing internally for the party to shift its position on greyhound racing
When questioned on Sunday, Labor MP Ella Haddad refused to confirm whether she personally supports the continuation of the controversial greyhound racing industry in Tasmania.
“I support the position that we’ve taken and the party’s position hasn’t changed,” she said, describing it as an “important industry.”
