SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

Baird moves to ease govt over greyhounds

A special coalition party room meeting is set to take place as Premier Mike Baird faces internal opposition over his plan to ban greyhound racing in NSW.

Greyhounds at a race meet in Sydney
Source: AAP

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Skip to article content

NSW Premier Mike Baird is moving to ease rising tensions within his government over his controversial call to shut down the greyhound racing industry.

Mr Baird will hold a special party room meeting on Monday afternoon as the government prepares to introduce legislation this week outlawing the sport.

The damning Special Commission of Inquiry report, which prompted the ban, will be discussed in detail, Mr Baird said.

"We will go through in detail the report, the key elements, the considerations and obviously any concerns or issues members may have," Mr Baird told reporters on Monday.

Every member will have an opportunity to have their say or "act as they should or want", Mr Baird said, acknowledging that the consultation would be difficult.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

But the premier continued to stand firm on his decision to ban the sport, saying it's unlikely any compromises will be made.

"Having said that, the way the industry is transitioned to the package we are putting in, in terms of support, there's a lot of opportunity to make sure we get that right," he said.

Several Nationals MPs have been furious with the premier and his deputy, Nationals leader Troy Grant, over their lack of consultation before the announcement to shut down the industry was made in July.

At least two have also threatened to cross the floor over the issue, which they argue will have a detrimental effect in their regional electorates.

Industry stakeholders will rally and march on parliament on Tuesday to fight for their livelihoods on the track.

Racers have also received support from the state opposition, which has released an alternative package to save the industry.

NSW Labor leader Luke Foley says a fierce new watchdog and a clamp-down on live-baiting would restore the sport's legitimacy.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world