Greyhound ban backflip: Ward concedes ‘wrong path was chosen’

Parliamentary secretary for the Illawarra Gareth Ward has leapt to the defence of Premier Mike Baird, who declared he “got it wrong” while confirming the government’s ban backflip on Tuesday.

Asked if he, too, had got it wrong, Mr Ward told the Mercury: “The focus has always been about animal cruelty and we can achieve that [reform] through many ways”.

“Perhaps the path that was sought was not the correct one, but the reality is that this is the decision that’s been taken,” he said.

“So long as it achieves the humane aims of protecting animals, but also keeping in mind that this is an industry with a lot of good people … those good people now have that last chance.”

The NSW government has given the greyhound racing industry one last chance, subject to industry agreeing to harsh new regulations that clamp down on animal cruelty.

Former Premier Morris Iemma will chair a Greyhound Industry Reform Panel that will determine the new regime, which includes:

Asked if he stood by his previous comments that “any fair-minded person” who read the special commission of inquiry report “couldn’t come to any other conclusion” than a ban, Mr Ward maintained the party line.

“I said, having read the report, that I could understand why the Premier had taken the view that he had [to shut down the industry],” he said.

“The industry, since those comments and since that report, has come back and has made a pledge to clean itself up.

“We’re going to help them do that by introducing the toughest regulation that anywhere in the world has seen in relation to the greyhound racing industry.”

Mr Ward refuted suggestion the government’s credibility had been tarnished by the remarkable about-face. 

“No one in this life is perfect. The Premier, based on community feedback, has responded,” he said.

“Obviously there has been frustration in many quarters about the position the government has taken, but I think it’s good that we have, in a democracy, the capacity to speak up and for governments to adjust their position.”

“Sure, the path might have changed but I think the intent of the government remains the same.” 

Labor’s Illawarra spokesman Ryan Park described the ban backflip as an “embarrassing day for the government”, but a win for those in the industry who “do the right thing”.

“We always said there needs to be a clean-up, an improvement, but the reality is Mike Baird just refused to listen,” Mr Park said.

“Today [Tuesday], it’s been quite obvious that Mike Baird got it wrong, it’s quite clear that Gareth Ward got it wrong and this is a big victory for the community.

“This is a government who spent months and months trying to convince people that announcing a shutdown of an industry on a Facebook site was acceptable.

“It clearly wasn’t from the beginning.”

Shellharbour MP Anna Watson, whose electorate is home to the Dapto Dogs, said the government’s industry ban announcement in July was “entirely premature”

“While the humiliating backflip announced today [Tuesday] by the government is welcome, it should have listened to the greyhound racing industry and the good men and women who participate in greyhound racing, like those at the Dapto Dogs,” Ms Watson said.