Last week I called on the government to end greyhound racing once and for all after a new report found cruelty remains rife under the new regulator brought in to eliminate problems uncovered by a special commission of inquiry. Eight years on and a report by the outgoing chief veterinary officer for greyhound racing shows nothing has changed. Deaths and injuries remain high; dogs are not tracked, their injuries are poorly treated, they are kept in shocking conditions, they are over-raced, administered medication unlawfully, and not properly anaesthetised or euthanased. The industry also inflates rehoming rates, which are very low.

The community does not condone such deplorable suffering, especially for an industry that provides nothing more than gambling harm. Greyhound racing has lost its social licence and it is time the major parties stopped defending it and prolonging its cruelty with “best practice” responses.

My speech: HERE