Decision details

Moved by Councillor Thalis, seconded by the Chair (the Lord Mayor) –

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note the rich history of Wentworth Park:

(i)         by 1885, the Colonial Government proclaimed Wentworth Park as an area for recreation;

(ii)        in the early 1900s, Wentworth Park was used for Rugby Union, Cricket, Rugby League, movie screenings, local brass bands would play in the rotunda and a kindergarten was established;

(iii)      Trustees leased Wentworth Park after the war to raise revenue and it became home to a speedway track between 1928 and 1936. The speedway was closed due to track damage and noise complaints; and

(iv)      greyhound racing in Harold Park was extended to Wentworth Park when the government issued a second greyhound racing licence in 1939;

(B)      Council note the animal cruelty associated with greyhound racing:

(i)         around 10,000 greyhound puppies are bred each year for racing;

(ii)        the industry has admitted to killing up to 17,000 healthy greyhound dogs each year. Some are never deemed fast enough for the track, some sustain injuries on the track and some retire;

(iii)      greyhounds who do make the race track are put at significant risk of injury and death. Up to 200 greyhounds are injured during races each week and around five greyhounds are killed as a result of racing;

(iv)      animal cruelty extends to live baiting practices involving the use of live kittens, rabbits, piglets and possums during training; and

(v)       some trainers have been found to dope dogs with cocaine, caffeine and anabolic steroids to enhance their performance;

(C)      Council note the impacts of the greyhound racing gambling industry:

(i)         Australians gamble around $4 billion each year on greyhound racing alone;

(ii)        the greyhound racing industry is estimated to be worth around $55 million in revenue to the NSW Government; and

(iii)      the NSW Government provides millions of dollars to the greyhound racing industry in tax breaks and track upgrades;

(D)      Council note the work of the NSW Government:

(i)         in 2016, the then NSW Premier banned greyhound racing from July 2017, however following media, public, industry and internal pressure, the Premier reversed this ban before it came into effect;

(ii)        in May 2020, the NSW Government released its Greyhound Welfare Code of Practice which will come into effect on 1 January 2021;

(iii)      in June 2020, the NSW Legislative Council Select Committee on Animal Cruelty Laws in NSW released its report; and

(iv)      the NSW Government is reviewing the Greyhound Racing Act 2017 and it is on public exhibition until 26 August 2020;

(E)      Council note:

(i)         in 2015, the Lord Mayor made a submission to the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Greyhound Racing Industry in NSW condemning surplus breeding and failure to comply with legal and community standards of animal welfare;

(ii)        in 2018, the Lord Mayor wrote to the then Minister for Racing condemning the Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park and Goulburn greyhound racing club upgrade and opposing greyhound racing; and

(iii)      the City of Sydney’s Community Recovery Plan highlights the need for more open space for general wellbeing and to enable physical distancing;

(F)      this Council supports The Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds’ No Dog Racing at Wentworth Park campaign;

(G)      this Council remains opposed to Greyhound Racing in NSW;

(H)      the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation informing him of this resolution; and

(I)        the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Minister for Water, Property and Housing and the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces requesting the removal of greyhound racing from Wentworth Park and reinstatement of the land as crown reserve for public recreation uses. 

The motion was carried on the following show of hands –

Ayes (8)          The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Kok, Miller, Phelps, Scott, Scully, Thalis and Vithoulkas

Noes (2)          Councillors Chung and Forster.

Motion carried.

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