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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-02-21 Daily Xml
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Greyhound Racing

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:58): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the minister representing the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing on the topic of hot weather policy for greyhound racing.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: On 27 December 2022, 10 greyhound races were run at Murray Bridge Greyhound Racing Club. The temperature in Murray Bridge that day reached 41.8º Celsius. The Advertiser printed earlier that morning that it predicted the weather to reach 43º Celsius, yet these races still proceeded. This week, we expect similar temperatures and indeed several races are scheduled to occur. Greyhound Racing SA's hot weather policy states the following:

Morning meetings on days for which the predicted temperature is forecast to be 40ºC or above at 8am will continue as scheduled but may be called off, delayed, cancelled or abandoned at the discretion of the stewards and in consultation with the on-course veterinarian.

The wording of this policy, of course, implies that the stewards only have discretion to call the race off if the weather is forecast to be above 40º Celsius at 8am and does not consider the daily temperature prediction or the predicted temperature at the time that the race will actually occur.

An alternative reading of this policy then is that race organisers are to check the predicted weather at 8am and if it is predicted to be over 40º Celsius the race can be abandoned. However, the running of the races on 27 December indicates that those race organisers did not cancel this race and, I assume, others.

By contrast, in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia, scheduled racing events must be cancelled if the temperature is scheduled to reach 38º Celsius at any point during the day or during the event's scheduled time. Race meetings must be cancelled in the Northern Territory if the estimated daily temperature is to be 40º Celsius. Even in Queensland, where rules on hot weather are also lacking, the decision of whether to run the race or not is based on the temperature at the time of the scheduled race.

It is known, of course, that greyhounds can suffer from heat stress and if the dog's internal temperature gets too high, it can cause serious organ damage, damage to the dog's cellular health system and death. I note that I wrote to the minister on 10 January. I also wrote to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. I am yet to receive a response from the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, although I have received one from the other minister. My questions therefore are:

1. How many TAB greyhound meetings have been postponed or cancelled under Racing South Australia's hot weather policy in the last 10 years?

2. How many greyhound races have been run when the temperatures at the time of the race were over 38º Celsius?

3. Will this government ensure that greyhounds are not forced to run and race at temperatures over 38º Celsius, as we expect this week?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:01): I thank the honourable member for her question. I do have some advice. I am advised that the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing has recently written to Greyhound Racing SA asking them to consider reviewing their hot weather policy. I am advised her office has spoken to Greyhound Racing SA and have been told they have proactively activated their hot weather policy. In regard to this week's meets, they have been advised that they have been moved to the morning and there is still the chance some meets will be postponed.

In terms of the specific questions around number of cancelled or run events in those conditions, I will refer them to the minister in the other place and bring back a response.

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