NSW greyhound participants viewed as irredeemable recidivists

IT is hard to believe Premier Baird is able to keep a straight face when he makes some of the comments attributed to him.

For example, talking of Justice McHugh's conclusions on and the numbers of participants involved, Baird said on 2GB, “He has weighed up all the evidence and he has made an assessment that it is 10-20 percent…”

So, although the Commissioner found that at least 80 percent of trainers were not guilty of being involved in live baiting, the industry should be closed down.

I would be quite happy to bet a few dollars that for every 100 individuals reading this, up to 20 have been involved in a car accident at some point in their driving career. Yet, the Premier is not calling for the of the motor vehicle industry.

Baird made a completely false statement regarding greyhound racing in the United States. He reportedly said, “In the US there was a majority of states where greyhound racing was in the late 70s and now it's down to five…”

Let me just give our geographically-challenged premier a . Since 1959 there have been 50 states which make up the country known as the United States. A ‘majority' would therefore would need to be 26 states or more conducting greyhound racing.

In 1972, racing was conducted in seven states: namely, (17 tracks), Arizona (6), (4), Massachusetts (3), South Dakota (2), Arkansas (1) and Oregon (1). All of these tracks were privately-owned and run as businesses, a completely different setup to that extant in Australia.

Equally, it doesn't take a rocket scientist (something Mr Baird will clearly never be) to see that in reality the bulk of racing was confined to Florida and Arizona. So, to use the words ‘a majority of states' is nothing more than a complete and utter fabrication which is pretty typical of the average politician, of all stripes.

Baird then claims greyhound racing in NSW has reduced by about 20 percent in the last eight years. Yet its share of the marketplace has jumped to 22 percent of TAB turnover.

Mr Baird also states the government- interim CEO of Paul Newson, who has resigned after less than 17 months in the job, “doesn't think the industry can change.”

Let's just step back and think about that comment. The state governments of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania have, at this stage at least, concluded those citizens involved in greyhound racing within their jurisdiction are capable of continuing their involvement.

Those governments have probably concluded that if proper oversight and policing is conducted, the inevitable cohort of crooks can be discovered and action taken against them, while the vast majority of honest citizens can continue to be engaged in the sport they love.

On the other hand, every one of the honest citizens of NSW engaged in the sport they love are, according to Paul Newson and accepted by Premier Baird, beyond redemption. Mr Baird has basically said that his government is incapable of creating a structure which can catch those engaged in activities which are against the law because every single person in the sport is tainted. He has effectively suggested every person involved in greyhound racing is an irredeemable recidivist.

I don't believe in reincarnation, so perhaps is only ‘channelling' the ghost of that fruit-loop US Senator, Joseph McCarthy, who dominated American politics for a, thankfully, brief period in the 1950s as he Communists and other political undesirables.

How long will it be before Baird changes the for entry to the NSW Public Service, requiring applicants to answer the question: ‘Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the greyhound racing fraternity?'

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
17 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
No SAV
No SAV
7 years ago

The simple reason Baird has become a Baird is this –

At some stage he was poisoned, probably at the entry point of his political career.

The slow release multi ingredient poison has now rendered him totally void of righteousness.

There are many people behind the scenes trying to help him recover by offering words of encouragement, unbiased advice and the occasional howdy dudey get better soon handshake.

Hopefully with his Christian faith, some anti-venom medicine, a few own party wake up calls, and some rimming, he will be back on track.

DaveSampson75
DaveSampson75
7 years ago

No mention of wastage. You get that live baiting isnt the only reason for this decision?

Dezzey
Dezzey
7 years ago

Sarkis just  got done again. Dogs still getting put down on track for treatable injuries, positive swabs. BAU.

Dezzey
Dezzey
7 years ago

DaveSampson75 don’t forget  Sarkis just  got done again, dogs still getting put down on track for treatable injuries and positive swabs. BAU.

dogem53
dogem53
7 years ago

DaveSampson75  .there you go again. dave the expert,who gets his details from honest BAIRD & co. well my lad, after todays debacle by those who represented the expert field of vets AT THE SO CALLED COMMISSION,,have created an illegal situation,that just may land them in trouble within there own association.and I bet ANIMALS AUSTRALIA WONT PAY THERE BONDS EITHER. are you aware of that Davey crocket? and this motley crew,who had no right to be used as so called EXPERTS,based there so called WASTAGE figures from no experience in the industry of greyhounds,but more plied by details supplied by guess… Read more »

dogem53
dogem53
7 years ago

DaveSampson75  ps………..IMPOSSIBLE FOR AN egotist TO LET GO TO.

SOME WILL BE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BLAME…aa MAYBE EXPORTED FOR SUPPLYING FALSE AND MISLEADING INFORMATION…one can only dream.

No SAV
No SAV
7 years ago

DaveSampson75 You might find that one of the “experts” contributed greatly to the “wastage” figures herself – now wouldnt that be ironic – we will wait for that to come out – its coming.

Now, how many greys were bred in NSW in the last 12 months?

It starts with a 3.

Start thinking – its gunna hurt I know.

dogem53
dogem53
7 years ago

DaveSampson75  “We are addicted to our thoughts. We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking.”
Santosh Kalwar, Quote Me Everyday


pay attention to that quote DAVE.

sound familiar?

you and BAIRD and many others need to re-assess your thoughts.

hang on to long to those old ones,and ya done for and made a fool of.

Deborah555
Deborah555
7 years ago

DaveSampson75  No the other reasons are the land value of Wentworth park and Baird needs support of the greens rep in parliament.

John Tracey
John Tracey
7 years ago

Duncan, Conversations amongst the chattering class (my involvement as a speaker on the history book project) recognise that blooding of greyhounds is a criminal offence and that the euthanasia of animals is legal if it is performed in a respectable fashion. For example a person recently received a litter of canines off E-bay (or Gum Nut). He intended keeping a few dogs and disposing of the rest of the litter. He was caught bashing some or all of the litter to death with a brick. His defence was that he was taking pups to the shelter but ran out of… Read more »

Hugh_
Hugh_
7 years ago

Bahaha, with the help of his Christian faith? I suppose it is true that many religious people feel that animals were put here to serve our needs rather than being sentient organisms that are worthy of respect outside of how we can make use of them… so perhaps you are right, a reconnect with the imaginary man in the sky might help your cause.

JeffWhite4
JeffWhite4
7 years ago

I don’t know why Duncan Stearn picked 1972 data to represent the “late 1970s”, but maybe he didn’t have access to all the facts about racing in the USA. Since the 1990s, for example, greyhound racing has been banned in Maine (1993), Virginia (1995), Vermont (1995), Idaho (1996), Washington (1996), Nevada (1997), North Carolina (1998), Pennsylvania (2004), Massachusetts (2008, effective 2010), Rhode Island (2010),New Hampshire (2010), Colorado(2014), and, just this year, Arizona. It still remains legal, and struggling to survive, in Iowa, West Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, and of course Florida. It remains unbanned also in Oregon, Wisconsin, and Kansas,… Read more »

Deborah555
Deborah555
7 years ago

JeffWhite4  Fascinating Jeff if I have any trouble getting to sleep one night I will read this again. This is so boring maybe you are a lawyer.

Deborah555
Deborah555
7 years ago

Hugh_  You’re just showing off here Hugh.

John Tracey
John Tracey
7 years ago

Deborah555 JeffWhite4 Probably a bit of cherry picking both ways, The information provided by Jeff seems to a lift from Christine A Dorchak (president of Grey2K USA worldwide publication of the History of Greyhound Racing in the USA which contains a lot of useful research. I will cut and paste the section I think that Jeff is using. If I am wrong Jeff can you give me your historical reference. The cut and paste refers to the banning of Pari Mutual bans on greyhound racing not to greyhound racing and breeding in general. The article also shows from a historical perspective… Read more »

JeffWhite4
JeffWhite4
7 years ago

Deborah555 JeffWhite4 Yes, I’m sure you prefer your opinions to be based on much more exciting things than boring old facts.

Deborah555
Deborah555
7 years ago

JeffWhite4 Deborah555  No Jeff I find lots of facts fascinating  just not the ones you outlined. John Tracey’s facts are very interesting.