Why won't the NSW Government release the Drake inquiry report?

Today in Parliament, Abigail contributed to a debate in Parliament, condemning the Government’s secrecy over the Drake inquiry report into greyhound racing, arguing it is being withheld for political convenience and must be released immediately so the public can know the commissioner’s findings about an industry plagued by ongoing scandals and welfare failures.

Abigail said:

Yet again the entire greyhound racing industry has suffered from all the secrecy. When the issues that sparked the Drake inquiry occurred, The Greens said at the time that the inquiry was just another way for the Government to cover up, stop the scrutiny and prevent people from understanding what was going on. Instead of having another special commission of inquiry or some other analysis of whether the greyhound industry should be allowed to continue, the Government brought in Lea Drake and announced the Drake inquiry. It even stated in its terms of reference that the inquiry was to be directed at keeping the industry up and running, but it did not consider whether it was a good use of money to try to regulate an industry that seems to be incapable of being regulated.

All that said, it is simply not okay for the Government to shuffle all that off to an inquiry, have days and days of people appearing before the commissioner, have all that evidence and all those submissions put forward, extend the deadline for the report and, when it finally gets the report, not just sit on it but say that it does not have to produce it when we ask for it to be released. The report effectively does not exist. The Government does not get to decide which documents it gives the House and which it does not. If it has nothing to hide, it should show us. Some members think it will be a damning report. The Greens think it might be damning of the industry. Others might think it will be damning for the people who run the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission or Greyhound Racing NSW.

We would all like to know: What did the commissioner find? But we know what the Labor Government will do: It will sit on the report until the moment it fits the media schedule to release it, and once the Government has put together a response that it thinks will resolve criticism before it begins. It will then release the report in a neat package when the Minns communication unit decides it is a good time for the Government to do so, such as a scandal that it needs to distract from. The Government will not release the report in the public interest at a time when people might want to see and actually do something about it. Meanwhile, there is scandal after scandal, with dogs dying on the tracks. The Greens fully support and thank the Hon. Emma Hurst for continuing to press the matter.

Read the debate in Hansard here.

19 November 2025

PUBLIC ENERGY FOR PUBLIC GOOD - SIGN THE PETITION!

Electricity is an essential service. But Labor and Liberal governments have sold off NSW’s energy assets and infrastructure, leaving us at the mercy of the private sector for our energy needs. The result has been soaring energy bills, with more and more people being forced into energy poverty.

A privatised energy system will never deliver a cheap and clean energy network - It’s time to take the power back.

As we transition to 100% renewable energy, we must learn from the mistakes of privatisation, ensure our energy assets are kept in public hands, and rein in the actions of private operators.

Communities across NSW have for too long been at the mercy of privatised power network operators who continue to put profit above people, acting recklessly and cutting corners without regard for community expectations.

Recent catastrophic power outages in regional NSW have made headlines for just this - in Broken Hill, the state’s only 100% privatised transmission network operator has failed to deliver a safe and secure energy network, leaving communities in the dark because of mismanagement and neglect in the pursuit of profit.

To build our case for bringing electricity back into public ownership, the Greens are calling for a public parliamentary inquiry into all NSW power network operators, their operation and corporate decision-making practices.

Add your name now to support the campaign!

While you're here, want a free sticker? Click this link to grab yours now!

Will you sign?

First Name

Last Name

Mobile phone

Address (Street, Suburb, State, Postcode)

Country

I want to volunteer

Join with Facebook

Join with Twitter

Why won't the NSW Government release the Drake inquiry report?

PUBLIC ENERGY FOR PUBLIC GOOD - SIGN THE PETITION!

Will you sign?

Join the Campaign

Join 57,982 other supporters in taking action