Edward Rennell: Greyhound Racing NZ CEO on their response to the Government's plan to ban greyhound racing

Supporters of greyhound racing are already devising a plan to challenge the Government's ban on the industry.  

The Racing Minister's announced plans to wind it down over 20 months, giving time to re-home almost 3000 racing dogs.  

Legislation has passed in the house under urgency today to prevent the greyhounds being killed as a result.  

Greyhound Racing NZ Chief Executive Edward Rennell told Heather du Plessis-Allan that there’s a lot of misinformation out there regarding greyhound racing. 

He says they owe it to the 1054 people employed by the industry to outline the steps they’ve taken regarding animal welfare as they believe they have appropriate standards in place. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
As we know, when he's pulled the pen on greyhound racing,
the industry's got twenty months to wind itself down and
then by July twenty twenty six is going to be gone.
Greyhound New Zealand CEO Edward Rennell is with us.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Hey Edward, Yeah, good morning, Good morning listeners.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
You see this coming.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
No, we didn't, to be honest, clearly we knew we
were under review. But the progress we have made from
an animal wealthare perspective over the last two years, and
the last independent riv report we're actually was pretty positive.
So you know, we yesterday's announcement in the like a
notice of it certainly caused by surprise.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yeah, you only get a forty five minute heads up,
is that right?

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yes?

Speaker 1 (00:39):
Why do you think that is?

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Well, okay, it's not for me to answer that, but
clearly we would have liked the opportunity to speak to
government and outline what we've done and the steps we're
doing in the commitment we've got too wellfare you know,
there's the last economic impact studied as a thousand and
fifty four people employed by the industry contribute one hundred
and sixty million perandum to the economy. I think it's

(01:05):
certainly a decision that shouldn't be made lightly. And yeah,
for the sake of those twenty and fifty four people,
I think the decision needs needs to be reviewed.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
It was quite grim to have that legislation passed last
night to stop dog owners actually getting rid of their
dogs in some sort of a hurry. Was that I mean,
was that a real threat?

Speaker 2 (01:26):
No? I don't believe it is, and that we have
our euth in Asia policy where that effectively encapsulates that policy.
So yeah, it's an offense for anyone in the industry
to use in as a dog without the only way
a dog can be uthinas is on welfare grounds and
by a veterinarian. So yeah, yeah, it was covered by

(01:49):
our euth in Asia policy.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
Do you plan to fight this or are you just
going to take it?

Speaker 2 (01:53):
No? Clearly, yeah, for the sake of those people, we
certainly are looking forward to engaging with government that will
require an amendment to the racing industry ex clearly, through
the select committee phase we will be outlining the case
for greyhound racing very strongly and in many ways I
believe greyhound racing is leading the way from a wealthier

(02:16):
perspective in the RACI industry in New.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
Zualand do you reckon there's any point fighting it because
it feels like you might have lost your social license.
What do you think?

Speaker 2 (02:24):
Well, I think we That's not for me to decide,
but we will certainly be out I think this a
hell of a lot of misinformation out there in terms
of grayhand racing. Clearly we owe it to the one
thousand and fifty four people that we need to outline
exactly the steps we're taken. And we're not talking about
grayhand racing ten years ago. We're talking about the present.

(02:46):
And I believe the welfare standards we have in placed
appropriate to maintain a social license to race.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
Edward, thanks for talking us through. A best of luck
with everything, edyone Ell, Greyhound New Zealand CEO. Yeah, here
we go. Here's a text from Hamish Heather two weeks
out from Christmas in Auckland and Auckland International Airport is
in chaos. The checken systems are down, the boarding systems
are down. It's all manual. The chicken areas crammed with
upset people. For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen
live to news talks at b from six am weekdays,

(03:16):
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio