Stop Development of Murray Bridge Greyhound Racing Track

Greyhound Racing SA and the Murray Bridge City Council have recently announced plans to build a $6m greyhound racing track in Murray Bridge East, South Australia. Full details of the development plan can be found here: http://www.dac.sa.gov.au/publications

Greyhound racing, while deemed 'entertainment,' is a relentlessly cruel industry that has been rapidly losing the support of the Australian public and will continue to do so as the public grows increasingly more aware of what goes on behind the scenes of this cruel industry. The recent Four Corners exposé on live-baiting and ABC's disturbing report on greyhound exports have been especially damning for the industry in the past year. February 7th, 2016 saw nationwide protests with thousands of Australians calling for greyhound racing to be shut down entirely.

Australia is one of eight remaining countries in the world where commercial greyhound racing exists. It has been banned in many countries, including 39 US states, with concerned citizens and animal welfare advocates pushing to have it banned in remaining states.

Industry statistics are nothing short of horrific:

-18,000 healthy dogs killed in Australia annually (retired racers or those who were too slow and never made it to the track).

-An estimated 200 dogs are injured racing each week (broken hocks, legs, head trauma, etc) with an average of 5 dogs a week dying on the tracks.

-The Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) only succeeds in rehoming about 1000 greyhounds annually, with a few hundred others rehomed by various other independent adoption groups. Average greyhound lifespan is 12-14 years - 9/10 dogs born into the greyhound racing industry will NOT live a full life.

-Perfectly healthy dogs who are unable to find homes after racing (or having never raced) are euthanized (or worse - see http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/some-of-the-55-greyhounds-in-mass-grave-may-have-been-beaten-to-death/news-story/240bad5d19ec5bdbb786d02ee44a0ac5 )

-The greyhound racing industry was revealed by Four Corners this year to routinely use 'live baiting' in the training of greyhounds.

-Dogs are repeatedly doped with steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

-The racing industry (and many unscrupulous trainers/owners/breeders) still exports hundreds of greyhounds annually to foreign countries where they are kept in horrific conditions and ultimately killed. (See ABC's 7:30 report on greyhound exports.)

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRUELTY OF THE RACING INDUSTRY CAN BE FOUND HERE: http://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/greyhound-racing.php

Nationwide media coverage of industry cruelty and calls to shut down the greyhound racing industry (just a few examples - many more exist):

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/rspca-urges-government-to-ban-greyhound-racing-after-disturbing-revelations-20160203-gmkkrg.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-10/federal-government-under-pressure-to-ban-greyhound-exports/7018216

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/slow-greyhounds-exported-for-slaughter/news-story/740a875be00590c681b97ab93e9e6622

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-29/greyhound-racing-rally-aims-to-influence-inquiry-outcome/7123826

Public awareness of what goes on behind this industry is growing rapidly. A $6m investment in this dying industry is foolhardy and socially irresponsible at best, and utterly cruel at worst.

Furthermore, the proposal offers little benefit to the community of Murray Bridge.

The proposal states that "There would also be staff employed at the facility, however these employees would work on a part-time or casual basis" so the track will not contribute significantly to local employment.

Furthermore, the proposal states: "The number of patrons and spectators attending racing events is generally very low (not a high demand spectator sport). The business plan of GRSA is primarily targeted at the participant base and not patrons or spectators."

This track would effectively exist to further facilitate online gambling revenue and benefit GRSA, with little to no benefit whatsoever to the city of Murray Bridge.

In signing this petition, we call on the Development Assessment Commission South Australia, the Rural City of Murray Bridge Council, the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, and the South Australian Government to recognize that this is a cruel, outdated industry and STOP the development of a new greyhound racing track in Murray Bridge.

Protesters are encouraged to write to the following people/bodies to voice their concerns (please note that FEBRUARY 18 is the deadline for making your voice heard in this issue!) Please feel free to use any of the text in this petition in your letter!

All signatures to this petition will be submitted, along with a letter, to the following:

Development Assessment Commission South Australia
dacadmin@sa.gov.au

Rural City of Murray Bridge Council
council@murraybridge.sa.gov.au

Brenton Lewis, Mayor of Murray Bridge
mayor@murraybridge.sa.gov.au

Leon Bignell MP, Minister for Racing
ministerleonbignell@sa.gov.au

Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
Stephen Mullighan, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
MinisterMullighan@sa.gov.au

Geoff Brock MP, Minister for Regional Development
pirsa.ministerbrock@sa.gov.au

And the following South Australian Senators:

senator.bernardi@aph.gov.au
senator.birmingham@aph.gov.au
senator.edwards@aph.gov.au
senator.fawcett@aph.gov.au
senator.ruston@aph.gov.au
senator.wong@aph.gov.au
senator.gallacher@aph.gov.au
senator.mcewen@aph.gov.au
senator.hanson-young@aph.gov.au
senator.wright@aph.gov.au
senator.simms@aph.gov.au
senator.xenophon@aph.gov.au

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.