The Victorian government has defended its decision to give $3m to Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) to investigate the “live baiting” scandal despite two former senior members of the organisation being accused of direct involvement.
ABC’s Four Corners program showed footage on Monday of live possums, piglets and rabbits being used as bait for greyhounds in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
The ABC said it had identified two former GRV staff involved in this illegal activity in footage – Bob Smith, formerly the integrity and racing operations manager, and Paul Anderton, who was a steward. Smith left GRV approximately five years ago, and Anderton left about about eight years ago.
GRV said it was “disgusted” by the revelations of animal cruelty and suspended 10 people from the sport. It claimed, however, that the practice was isolated in Victoria to a training facility at Tooradin.
The Victorian government has announced $3m to improve GRV’s “animal welfare and integrity measure” in the wake of the scandal. The money will be used to help the investigation and prosecution of wrongdoing in the greyhound racing industry.
But Animals Australia, which supplied the footage to the ABC, said it was dismayed that the government would provide money to GRV.
“It’s extraordinary that the Victorian government’s response to these shocking revelations is to throw more taxpayer money at the body that has failed dismally in its regulatory responsibilities,” said Lisa Chalk, a spokeswoman for the animal rights organisation.
“These barbaric practices were happening on their watch and implicate people at the highest echelons of their organisation. The government is putting its faith in a body that has been shown to have a former steward and integrity manager involved in live baiting and that has failed to detect widespread criminal behaviour.”
Chalk said the dogs involved in live baiting must be seized by authorities in Victoria, as has been done in Queensland.
Darren McDonald, one of Australia’s most prolific trainers, transferred ownership of his dogs to his wife, Joanne, on Saturday. The dogs were due to race in Ballarat on Wednesday night, although greyhounds implicated in the scandal have been suspended.
The Victorian government has launched two separate enquiries into the animal cruelty – one headed by Dr Charles Milne, Victoria’s chief vet, and one overseen by Sal Perna, Victoria’s racing integrity commissioner.
A government spokeswoman said any questions of a conflict of interest or criminal conduct by former GRV staff would be addressed in light of Perna’s independent investigation.
Martin Pakula, Victoria’s racing minister, said the revelations of live baiting were “shocking, disgusting and completely unacceptable”.
Asked if he supported GRV, Pakula said: “Today is not the day to be expressing full confidence in GRV. I’ve been pleased by the way they’ve responded since they were made aware of these allegations on Friday. There are questions why these matters weren’t picked up earlier.”
Pakula said the government would consider a GRV request for broader investigation powers, such as the ability to enter training premises whatever the time of day.
A spokeswoman for Pakula said: “The funding allocated to Greyhound Racing Victoria for integrity measures will be drawn from the Victorian Racing Industry Fund, which is comprised of unclaimed wagering dividends and on-course wagering taxes from totalisator betting.
“These funds have already been committed to the racing industry, and the amount apportioned to GRV for animal welfare and integrity measures will be taken from its share of the total allocation over the next four years.”
The practice of strapping live animals to lures to attract dogs is known as “blooding” and is aimed at boosting the performance of greyhounds when they race. In Victoria, animal cruelty can attract a jail term of up to two years, as well as a $30,000 fine.
Chalk said the greyhound racing industry “kills dogs at a whim as soon as they are no longer profitable”, claiming that 80% of retired racing dogs were killed rather than rehomed.
