Edward Rennell: Greyhound Racing NZ on the latest updates in the greyhound racing ban

An update in the Government's plans to ban Greyhound racing, with the industry's lead organisation fronting in court next month.  

Racing Minister Winston Peters says they're considering laws to get the TAB to help pay to re-home ex-racing dogs.  

Greyhound Racing NZ CEO says there’s all this talk about rehoming, but no question or consideration of support for their people and compensation for them. 

He says they have people who have invested thousands into upgrading their facilities. 

GRNZ is heading to court in hopes to overturn the ban, stating they have plans to improve the injury rates of racing dogs. 

Rennell told Mike Hosking they had an independent monitor who had been assessing their performance with injuries and had deemed it acceptable, and in many ways leading the racing industry in New Zealand. 

He says that they believe the process that has been adopted and the decision itself is manifestly wrong.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I got more ankst in the greyhound industry as they

(00:02):
slowly but surely get closed down. The government's looking into
the feasibility now forcing the TAB to cover the cost
of rehoming dogs. Industry wants taxpayers to put the build
the bill by the ways about forty million. Edward Reneld's
the CEO of greyhound Racing New Zealand and as well.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
They said, good morning, Yeah, good morning, Mike, good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:19):
How much how much are you involved in this in
terms of you know where you go and where the
industry goes and what the government does and are you
in contact with the government.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
We've had some meetings with the minissea as an advisory community,
but we have had no meetings at all the Minister
since Nov twenty three when he was appointed.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
And what's the irrationale behind the TAB and would the
TB be remotely interested?

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well, I think the rest the intentions of the TV.
Even though need Zellen greyhound racing will be stopped, they're
still looking to bring in forty over forty success and
races from greyhounds in Australia and they will be looking
to use the income from that to fund the recoming
which in many ways that make sense. We've never said

(01:01):
the taxpayer should fund that. We've always said that it
needed and needed to be addressed. However, what hasn't you know,
there's all this talk about rehoming, but there's no quiest
consideration of support for our people and compensation for them.
You know, I've had people who have invested thousands into
upgrading their facilities at a train, a breeder last night

(01:21):
talking about how he had invested two hundred and fifty
thousand and frozen seamen that is now worthless. So at
what point is the government going to discuss, Well, they
won't for our people.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Well, they're not going to because well, I mean their
argument will be they warned, you warned, you warned, you warned,
you warned you and warned you and you didn't fix
your industry, so get lost.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah that's completely wrong.

Speaker 1 (01:42):
Well I know, but that's their argument, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yep, that's their argument. But we had an independent monitor,
the Racy Integrity Board, who from June twenty three was
assessing our performance with injuries rates is acceptable in many
ways leading racy industry in New Zealand. Yet we were
shut You know, that hasn't changed from June twenty three,
they're still saying that, and the government's saying that our

(02:06):
injury rates unacceptable.

Speaker 1 (02:08):
What about a lawyer, If you talk to a lawyer,
I'm not defending I'm not a big fan of greyhounds anyway,
but if you talk to a lawyer, yeah, we.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Are undertaking legal election, seeking a judicial review of the
decision because we believe that the process that has been
adopted and the decision itself is manificially wrong.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
That'll be interesting to follow. I appreciate itwar Edward Ronnell,
who's the CEO of the Greyhound Racing New Zealand. For
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