Craig
McCulloch, Deputy Political Editor
ACT
has voiced strong objections to the looming ban on greyhound
racing, saying breeders, owners, and venues deserve
compensation and more time.
But it has yet to decide
whether it will completely pull its support for the
legislation at its second reading. The bill – in the name of
Racing Minister Winston Peters – passed its first
reading in November with unanimous support.
The
ACT party filed its dissenting view in a report published on
Friday by a select committee considering the plan to shut
down the sport by August.
In its contribution, ACT
said it was “not convinced” the threshold had been met for
banning a legal industry, saying such action should be a
“last resort” only.
It said a longer transition should
have been considered, noting that rehoming about 1600
greyhounds would take significant time and rushing the
process would harm the owners, trainers and dogs.
ACT
also called for “a clear compensation regime” for those who
would lose their livelihoods and said the costs to rehome
the greyhounds should be funded fully by the
Crown.
Initially, the legislation said those costs
would be met from the assets held by Greyhound Racing New
Zealand, almost $16 million, with any amount left over given
to other racing codes.
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MPs at select committee agreed
to change that so any leftover funds were returned to
industry participants.
Speaking to RNZ, ACT MP Cameron
Luxton said that was an improvement, but still not good
enough.
He said thousands of “good hard-working
salt-of-the-earth New Zealanders” were having their lawful
livelihoods taken away from them through no fault of their
own.
Luxton said the government should “at the very
least” set up a compensation scheme like the Labour-NZ First
coalition did when it banned and confiscated some
firearms.
“We’ve listened to a community that’s been
misunderstood by Wellington. They’re getting a raw deal.
Their property rights have been disregarded, and someone
needs to stick up for them.”
Asked whether ACT would
therefore vote against the bill at its second reading,
Luxton said the caucus had yet to discuss that or whether it
might invoke the coalition’s agree-to-disagree
clause.
“It is a bit of a moot point when you consider
that the bill’s got everyone in Parliament voting for it,”
he said.
“I can’t give you a definite, but what I
really want to do is make sure that the people who are being
affected by this are heard… that they’re represented…
and we work on a result that is fair to the people who are
having their industry shut down and their community broken
up.
The select committee – which also included
representatives from National, Labour and the Greens – also
agreed the legislation should be amended to allow TAB to
keep taking bets on greyhound races outside New
Zealand.
The rationale was that revenue could go
towards the cost of winding down the industry, with a
mandatory review to later consider whether that should
continue.
Focus remains on ‘smooth and responsible’
transition -Peters
In a separate statement, Peters
said everybody, including industry representatives, had had
the opportunity to have their say through the select
committee process.
He said the government remained
focused on a “smooth and responsible transition” with
planning to continue over the coming months, focused on
ensuring fair outcomes for both people and
animals.
Peters said the transition plan included
wellbeing, mental health and re-training support for
industry workers, as well as assistance from animal welfare
organisations in rehoming the dogs.
A spokesperson for
Peters said he had nothing to add on ACT’s minority
position.
Peters announced
the ban on greyhound racing in late 2024.
During
his first reading speech last year, Peters told Parliament
the industry had lost its social licence both at home and
around the world.
“This decision was not taken
lightly,” he said. “However, it was considered that the
rates of dogs being seriously injured remained too high and
the improvements made were not significant
enough.”
Animal activists have long called
for action after numerous reviews of the sport sounded
alarm about animal welfare practices.
In 2021, former
sports minister Grant Robertson put the industry “formally
on notice” after a report found the industry had failed to
adequately improve animal welfare
systems.
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