HANSARD
SITTING CALENDAR
SEARCH
LIVE BROADCAST
Hansard Dynamic Member Index
Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-03-04 Daily Xml
Contents
Xml

Greyhound Racing

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:59): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing on the topic of a Racing Appeals Tribunal finding on a use of a prohibited substance.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: Greyhound trainer Donald James Turner was charged with breaches of Greyhounds Australasia Rules 141(a) and 141(3) by the Integrity Hearings Panel (IHP) following a positive result to a post-race urine sample taken following a race on 4 May 2023. Mr Turner initially pleaded guilty to the charge of breaching rules around prohibited substances, namely androstane, which was found to be present in excess of the legally accepted 10 nanograms per millilitre, indeed, potentially as high as 63 nanograms per millilitre.

Mr Turner subsequently tried to present evidence to explain the presence of this substance, saying it may have been caused by medication. However, this explanation was refuted by veterinary advice, and a penalty was fixed on that basis. Mr Turner was initially disqualified for two years in line with penalty guidelines for a category 1 offence, but this was reduced by 25 per cent for his early guilty plea to only 18 months, with the final six months suspended and a $5,000 fine, $2,500 of which was suspended.

However, Mr Turner subsequently appealed the penalty to the Racing Appeals Tribunal and suggested that the presence of the prohibited substance may have occurred naturally, a suggestion that was found to be so unlikely that it was disregarded, citing over 30,000 tests over a similar eight-year period that had failed to produce such a reading. Mr Turner then turned to his personal circumstances and, on the grounds of his mental health, subsequently successfully appealed and saw his penalty substantially reduced down to only six months, with 12 months suspended and wholly suspending the fine, with a two-year good behaviour bond. My questions to the minister are:

1. Is this the same Don Turner who similarly appealed the severity of a 2016 suspension for breach of the prohibited substances rule?

2. Does the minister think that such a substantial reduction in the penalty sends the right messages to greyhound racing in this state and the broader community about animal welfare and integrity?

3. Will any specific follow-up of Mr Turner be conducted in line with recommendation 14 of the Ashton inquiry to focus swabbing and sampling on participants subject to suspended suspensions for prohibited substances?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:02): I thank the honourable member for her question and summarising that process quite well. I am happy to look into that further and see what actions have been done outside of the discussions that you have raised today and get a further briefing on it. In regard to the recommendations, I know Sal Perna is working very hard to get through the 86 recommendations that were put before him and that Greyhound Racing SA is also willing to look at them as well. Feedback like yours today is very helpful, and I will be passing that on to them.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS
MEMBERS
GET INVOLVED
ABOUT PARLIAMENT
VISIT
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
CONTACT