Winston Peters: Racing Minister doesn't plan to rush decision on whether to ban greyhound racing

Racing Minister Winston Peters has confirmed he's in no hurry to make a call whether or not to ban greyhound racing.

Appearing before a select committee, Peters claimed he wanted to wait at least a year to make a decision - and had no interest in making a 'careless' choice.

Peters says he ran the risk of being called to account if he rushed the process of a potential ban.

"I've got people surveying the scene on a weekly basis, finding out what is happening and whether there are improvements - and in a time, very soon, in the next few months, we'll have a very clear picture."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now it looks like any decision on whether to ban
greyhound racing or not as a while away. Yet The
Racing Minister appeared before before a Select committee as part
of scrutiny week this morning has said he would make
a call by the end of the year, but not
to hold him to that. Deputy Prime Ministan Racing Minister
Winston Peters is with us now evening. Winston, why is
it taking so long to make a call.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Because we had at the end of the last decade
the Handsome Report which was very informative as to what
was going on, and the industry was then unnotice and
I've come back and the last six months we've been
monitoring things very very carefully, watching what is happening and
getting further updates and we will make the call when
we have a clear view that is sustainable in a

(00:42):
court of law as the right decision where they will
make such a decision.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Is there a possibility that if it was to be
banned the industry would sue the government, well with.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Possibility if he got the process wrong and it was
an adequate you could be called to account for that.
We do not want that. We waste of taxpayers money right.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Are you saying, because they've been put on notice, they've
been given a chance to improve. If they show signs
of improvement, you can't do it. So are they showing
signs of improvement?

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Well, again, one has got to be neutral about this.
I've got people surveying seen on a weekly basis finding
out what is happening and whether they're improvements. And in
a time very soon, you know, the next few months,
will have a very clear picture and nowhere we should
make and what we should do with this industry.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Do you watch the sport?

Speaker 2 (01:31):
I can't say that I have. Well I do remember
the American expression of going to the dogs, which is
that what it means?

Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah? Oh yeah, fair enough. Hey, what happened to the
threat to defund the sports bodies that include transgender women
at the community level?

Speaker 2 (01:48):
Not a threat? There was a coalition agreement, an announcement
made over six months ago. So what we expected in
terms of fairness for women and girls in this country
when they came to sport ruling anybody out and they
want to have their own sport amongst themselves, fine, but
when it comes to safety and on the question of fairness,

(02:08):
where they get very clear. We want to ensure that
the sport that people play in is not preferentially treated
because someone has a biological advantage unfairly over the other
contestants who are female.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
Right, So let me get this right. So the threat
to defund was only if they were not making sure
it was safe and fair. Yes, but only twenty nine
percent of them are actually doing something about the seventy
one percent of the sports haven't even addressed it yet,
they're busy thinking about it. Is that good enough?

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Well, look, it's been a rather busy time and the
ego economies in trouble. As we know, people are hard
up against it, and so you can see why they
might be delayed. But we made it very clear very
beginning what we expected and we believe that that is
the only fear logical and reasonable thing to expect, particularly
when taxpayers money is being used.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
How long have they got before they are in trouble
with you guys?

Speaker 2 (03:05):
Well, I say, and also the minister Bishop has also
made this expression that we're closely monitoring developments and then
we will see how things are.

Speaker 1 (03:14):
Have you communicated to them how long they've gone?

Speaker 2 (03:19):
Well, you know what a thought that when you got
information at the foremast of the last government, and that
was clear that you would start addressing those issues. And
so we'll be asking them, so what have you done? If,
of course there have not been occasions in their sport
where that has happened, it won't be concerned to them.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
Can you point to any example, Winston, that you can
think of where you think that transgender I mean women,
transgender young kids playing against others is an unsafe thing
at the moment?

Speaker 2 (03:52):
Well, I can refer to the loyal hublitase we call
how people were right out raised at the unfairness.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
Of that, but that was an illegal.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Well, yes, but they all had a level as sooner
or later. And it doesn't matter whether it's happening in
the school playground at a certain age. If a person
is going to be unfairly injured because some compareditor has
gott wet a biological strength who should not be on
the same sports field, then it's time, surely in the
interest of parents and fairness to act.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
Yeah, okay, hey, listen, we should buy plane. Shouldn't we
should buy a couple of planes. We're at that stage now,
aren't we.

Speaker 2 (04:31):
Let me say that. The reason why, in my view
and it's just my view, but having us experts both
here and internationally, while that plane is not performing as
they say, it's not being used media enough, and we
should have been doing that and making sure we're looking
after this equipment. I know, thirty years old, but look,
we've got other planes that were flying around must longer
than that. There would be in museums elsewhere, and we're

(04:52):
still flying them. Our point is to get this thing
sorted out, so you've sort of inherit. A drag has
been happening for some time and it shouldn't go on.
I just feel pretty sorry for the Prime Minister, but
particularly his guests on that plane. You've got to make
alterns of arrangement.

Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yeah, totally. I'll give you some numbers though, right, So,
maintaining these two planes at the moment is costing us
thirty five million bucks a year. You can buy a
plane for thirty five million bucks a year, So just
from a financial perspective, it would be smarter for us
to ditch these and just buy new ones, wouldn't it.

Speaker 2 (05:22):
Well, the real question is why are these planes not performing?
Why are simple things going wrong? And we need to
get to the bottom of that now. I'll get a
few sort of independent experts and people who I look us.
Talking to a very wealthy USUM businessman in Singapore recently
on this very issue. He's got the same plane and

(05:42):
he said, wants to make no mistake, they're not using
it enough. That's why it's not working the way that should.
It's never got a fault.

Speaker 1 (05:49):
Did you ask him if he could buy us a plane?

Speaker 2 (05:53):
I didn't, and that's because, let me tell you whether
I haven't got authority to make that sort of request.
We don't do those those things. We're an experienced position.
We don't live that way.

Speaker 1 (06:04):
You look to gift horse in the mouth if he's
a rich, rich guy living in Singapore and might be
able to help us out. Hey, thank you very much, Winston,
look after yourself. Enjoy the evening. It's Winston Peter's racing minister.
We're at that stage, aren't we. We've got to ask
wealthy experts if they could spring us a plane because
we can't do it ourselves. For more from Hither Duplessy
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