A Queensland greyhound racing monitor with a excessive harm price is predicted to obtain a $4 million improve lower than two years after its final renovation.
The Bundaberg greyhound monitor, 4.5 hours north of Brisbane, has been closed since September 2024 over considerations too many canine had been being injured.
Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Membership president Ricky Hassall mentioned the trade was happy with the federal government’s choice to transform the floor from grass to sand after months of uncertainty.
“They’re a part of our household, our greyhounds, and no one desires to see them get harm,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the improve would additionally embrace transition corners, making it “a lot safer” for the canine.
“Each grass monitor is usually getting reworked to sand,” Mr Hassall mentioned.
“The most important drawback with grass is they have an inclination to get their ft caught … and sadly typically break a leg, which is horrible.”
Stephen Bennett, Tim Mander and Ricky Hassall on the Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Membership. (ABC Information: Johanna Marie)
Minister for Sport and Racing Tim Mander has mentioned the conversion would value as much as $4 million and be carried out by Racing Queensland.
“It will likely be excellent news for greyhound racing within the Vast Bay, and it is also excellent news for our animals on the subject of animal welfare,” he mentioned.
“By having a sand monitor right here and utilizing extra fashionable know-how on the subject of the design of the monitor … that can scale back the harm charges.“
The Coalition for the Safety of Greyhounds’s Annie Hendley mentioned the upgrades had been a waste of taxpayer cash.
“It’s astounding that in the course of a housing and value of dwelling disaster, the LNP Queensland authorities is prepared to blow tens of millions in public cash on a brand new greyhound racing monitor,” Ms Hendley mentioned in a press release.
Bundaberg has the final two-turn grass monitor in Queensland. (Equipped: Racing Queensland)
“There aren’t any protected greyhound racetracks.
“The federal government is both deluded or mendacity once they say {that a} new monitor in Bundaberg will likely be any higher.”
Racing Queensland (RQ) initially promised the conversion in 2023 after the completion of a $1.4 million improve of the membership’s services, nevertheless, the work by no means progressed.
A 12 months later, the trade physique shut the membership down after a Queensland Racing Integrity Fee (QRIC) report discovered 42 canine had been injured with one deceased or euthanased over a three-month interval.
The report confirmed the state’s solely two-turn grass monitor had a better price of accidents per 1,000 starters than different bigger tracks, together with Albion Park in Brisbane.
Journey subsidy to proceed
The Bundaberg greyhound racing trade injects an estimated $9.6 million yearly into the native economic system.
For the previous seven months, RQ has paid greater than $52,000 below a journey subsidy for Bundaberg-based trainers to attend races in Rockhampton and Brisbane.
Mr Hassell mentioned it was a “horrible” state of affairs for trainers and their canine travelling lengthy distances.
“It is harmful at evening, and also you’re fatigued,” he mentioned.
“You drive 4 hours to a racetrack, race your canine after which drive house.“
Mr Mander mentioned the journey subsidy would proceed to be provided till the monitor conversion was full.
“I am not 100 per cent positive how lengthy it takes to do all these tracks, however it is going to have precedence, and we wish to be sure that we get these folks up and working as shortly as doable,” he mentioned.
