Asked whether he would retain or repeal the ban last month, Mr Barrett told the Central Western Daily the legislation had passed and he would not be able to change it, but he was committed to supporting the breeders and trainers.

But speaking on Monday, he said he would not have supported the legislation and recent discussions with affected parties had opened another possibility.

The key, Mr Barrett said, will be the John Keniry report, which will make recommendations on the transition, however fresh legislation would need to be introduced.

“Greyhounds NSW wasn’t doing a good job of running the industry and keeping the shonks out of it – there’s a group, the mums and the dads, and if they had control of the industry, they could take it forward,” he said.

“I suspect a number of Nationals MPs would support that and that’s how you get results, by people in power pushing forward agendas.”

Mr Baird said on Friday the government had made an absolute decision on the issue.

"As I have said, the date has been locked in," he said.

But Mr Barrett said Mr Baird was basing his decision on two unpalatable options – one to shut the industry down and the second to lose non-TAB tracks at a $200 million cost to the taxpayer.

“Out of those two options, they had to take one, but there’s a third option starting to emerge – I would like to see racing continue in NSW,” he said.

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate Phil Donato said if the Keniry report recommended an alternative for the industry, he would support it.

“That was our position from the beginning and the government wouldn’t listen,” he said

“But I find it interesting that Mr Barrett now, after being reported as saying saying it was passed through parliament and there’s nothing I can do, gets on the bandwagon to support regulation of the industry – this is the arrogance The Nationals have for their constituency and people aren’t that silly.”

Labor candidate Bernard Fitzsimon said The Nationals could not do anything without the Liberals’ support.

“Mike Baird’s in a real bind because if he rolls before the byelection, people will see it as being weak and if he rolls afterwards, it will upset their chances at the 2019 election,” he said.