“Get rid of the industry”: Gippsland councillor calls for the end of greyhound racing

The Victorian government could save more than $450 million if it shut down the greyhound racing industry, according to a new policy costing by the Victorian Parliamentary Budget Office.

The report said the state government could save an estimated $451.6 million between 2025-26 and 2035-36 by ending subsidies for greyhound racing and shutting down the industry.

The estimate comes from a projected $687.4 million cut in government spending on the industry over the decade, partially offset by a $235.8 million loss in revenue from Victorians no longer being able to bet on greyhound races in the state.

The report was commissioned by the Animal Justice Party Victoria MP Georgie Purcell.

There are 13 greyhound racing clubs around Victoria, and four of them are in Gippsland.

There have been 82 greyhound deaths and 6,803 injuries around Australia on racetracks this year, according to the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds. Thirty dogs have died on racetracks in Victoria this year.

In 2024, 46 greyhounds died on racing tracks in Victoria.

“I think it's taking advantage of plenty of people who can't afford to throw away weekly shopping money,” Bass Coast Shire councillor Jon Temby told the Gippsland Monitor. “My preference would be to get rid of the industry.”

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced on August 10 that the state would shut down greyhound racing by mid-2029.

The Gippsland Monitor sought comment from Enver Erdogan, Victorian Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, but did not hear back before publication.

Image credit: Rainer Hungershausen. Greyhound Racing, 2009.