By Cason Ho

Copyright abc

Animal advocates have called on the Western Australia government to follow the lead of other jurisdictions and phase out greyhound racing, as a state parliamentary inquiry examines the sport.

Australia has about 60 greyhound racing tracks operating nationwide, and has been touted as the world’s largest commercial greyhound racing industry.

But with Tasmania’s recent announcement that the sport would be phased out in that state by 2029, and the closure of the historic Dapto track in New South Wales, the tide may be turning.

Mel Harrison, president of advocacy group Free The Hounds, said both WA and the country had fallen behind.

“Wales is phasing it out, Scotland’s phasing it out, Tasmania, New Zealand — let’s get on board, Australia,” she told ABC Radio Perth.

A petition with more than 26,000 signatures calling for the industry to be phased out was tabled in WA’s parliament, prompting the inquiry.

There were 23 greyhound deaths on tracks in the state last year, second only to Victoria, which recorded 46 deaths, according to data recorded by the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds.

There have been 10 deaths on tracks in WA so far in 2025.

Ms Harrison said it was high time for the industry to be scrutinised.

“There are so many ancillary things that go on with racing — you’ve got gambling, and all sorts of rehoming issues.

“[The greyhounds] fall into the community rescue groups and these are all funded through the community … that has cost, in the past, Greyhound Adoptions WA up to $250,000 a year in vet bills.”

The inquiry will be the first wide-ranging probe of its kind into the industry in WA.

The WA Greyhound Racing Association (WAGRA), the state’s industry body, operates three tracks in Cannington, Mandurah and Northam.

The parliamentary committee will focus on industry practices and data around animal welfare, governance arrangements, and post-racing care of greyhounds.

Community concerns

Committee chair Sandra Carr said the amount of community concern warranted a review of the industry.

“The many thousands of signatories to this petition demonstrate ongoing community concern about animal welfare and the greyhound racing industry,” she said.

Opposition racing and wagering spokesperson Lachlan Hunter said he had seen the greyhound industry doing “the right thing” in his time in the job.

“I’ve always been a big supporter of ensuring that industries are transparent, industries are sustainable, and they meet community expectations,” he said.

Mr Hunter said the industry had a track record of keeping greyhounds safe during races, and contributed to the state’s economy.

“This is a government that is clearly trying to appease the Greens and the Animal Justice Party in the upper house,” he said

Government backing

Both WAGRA and Racing and Wagering WA (RWWA) — the industry and regulating bodies respectively — are government entities.

WAGRA referred the ABC’s enquiry to RWWA, which declined to comment.

Ms Harrison said the relationship between the two organisations and the government was problematic.

“You’ve got these three entities sort of looking at each other, and that’s part of the problem,” she said.

“How can somebody be overseeing welfare, gaming and integrity, and also the commercial side of it?”

In a statement, Racing and Gaming Minister Paul Papalia said he did not want to pre-empt the inquiry.

“Parliamentary Committees are independent of government and free to undertake inquiries in accordance with their relevant chamber’s Standing Orders,” he said.

Mr Hunter called on the minister for more clarity.

“The government needs to come out and be very, very clear to the industry, to the people of Western Australia, whether the minister supports the future of the greyhound industry,” he said.

The inquiry is open to public submissions until November 17.