GREYHOUND racing supporters from Orange will add their voices to thousands of others from across the state in Sydney on Tuesday at a rally to protest the impending ban on their industry.
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A busload of disgruntled owners, trainers and breeders will depart the city at dawn, joining forces with other industry stakeholders in an effort to have NSW Premier Mike Baird’s controversial decision overturned.
Orange greyhound trainer Colin Miller said he and his counterparts are itching to have their grievances heard by those in power.
“It’s just totally wrong,” Mr Miller said of the ban.
“It’s un-Australian and even if I didn’t have greyhounds I’d still be going to Sydney.”
Mr Miller, who has owned, trained and bred racing dogs for 40 years, believes Mr Baird’s decision to outlaw the sport was built on flawed statistics and opinions.
It’s un-Australian and even if I didn’t have greyhounds I’d still be going to Sydney.
- Orange greyhound trainer Colin Miller
“The report the decision was based on is full of loopholes,” he argued.
“The number of dogs put down is wrong and some of the vets giving their opinions weren’t qualified.
“There’s information about breeding pups in that report that was from America. It has nothing to do with New South Wales.”
Owners and trainers across the state have been lobbying their local members – especially Nationals in regional NSW - to pull their support for the coalition’s bill.
When asked if he was confident Tuesday’s protest – and others certain to follow before the ban kicks in on July 1, 2017 – would have the desired effect on parliamentarians Mr Miller was hopeful rather than confident.
“It should but whether it will or not I don’t know,” he answered.
“It depends on whether they want to stick up for what’s right or what’s wrong.”
People from all corners of the state with a stake in the industry will descend upon Sydney in the morning – including separate contigents from Cowra and Bathurst – where they’ll unite for the rally.
Across the New South Wales more than 30,000 people have signed a petition to keep the industry alive, with many of those signatures collected at Bathurst’s Kennerson Park, one of the Central West’s greyhound racing hubs.
