Why are children being exposed to the brutality and cruelty of greyhound tracks?

Greyhound racing perpetuates severe animal abuse and poses psychological risks to onsite child workers. Today in Parliament, Abigail gave notice urging the NSW Government to raise the minimum age for racetrack workers to 18.

Abigail gave notice of the following motion:

I give notice that on the next sitting day I will move:

(1) That this House notes that:

in 2022, the Greyhound Welfare Integrity Commission (GWIC) lowered the participant age limit to 12 years of age, to allow children as young as 12 to participate in trials at registered greyhound tracks as the greyhound catcher;
the racing industry is a notoriously corrupt and unsafe environment for children, exposing them to gambling, heavy alcohol consumption and animal cruelty;
since the age limit was lowered, participating children have been working in the catching pens where many greyhound deaths and injuries occur, able to observe protruding bones, broken spines and other limbs and more;
according to GWIC Chief Executive Officer, Steve Griffin, in a Budget Estimates hearing on 22 February 2024, no research was conducted in relation to the psychological impact of exposing children to this environment, nor was any legal advice sought by GWIC in relation to liability for future gambling or other psychological issues children may develop following their exposure to this environment;
according to evidence-based studies including those published in the Australian Harm Reduction Journal, the Growing Up In Australia “Longitudinal Study of Australian Children” and the “2015 Australian Psychological Society survey into Stress and wellbeing”, children who are exposed to heavy gambling during adolescence are at greater risk of gambling-related harm when they grow up, as well as developing symptoms of psychological distress; and
psychological research has also confirmed a strong link between acts of deliberate animal cruelty like greyhound racing, and aggression, violence and general antisocial behaviour toward humans.

(2) That this House calls on the NSW Government to:

urgently consult with experts and conduct thorough evidence-based research in relation to the psychological effects of racing environments on children’s wellbeing and mental health; and
raise the age of participation in greyhound racing to 18 years of age.

TAX SUPERPROFITS TO PAY WORKERS MORE

NSW is missing out on tens of billions of dollars. By introducing a progressive coal royalty structure similar to the one in Queensland, we would have raised an extra $20 billion last year.

The NSW Government owns and controls, on behalf of the people of this state, the rights to the minerals and materials that naturally occur in NSW land.

Huge fossil fuel companies are only able to extract and sell these commodities with the consent of the State. It’s time they paid a fair price for that privilege.

The fossil fuel industry has made hundreds of billions of dollars out of their cosy relationship with governments. Granted permission to extract and sell coal, these large multinational fossil fuel corporations pay just over 7% in royalties back to the people of NSW – keeping the rest as mega-profits for themselves. These companies have a track record of taking more than their fair share and leaving communities suffering and stranded with poisoned groundwater, devastated landscapes and a stranded workforce when it suits their business models.

Globally, the hyper-inflation of fossil fuel prices driven by price-gouging opportunism and war profiteering from Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has delivered record windfall profits to these already obscenely wealthy corporations. In the last year, NSW coal exports totaled over $70 billion dollars, but the people of NSW will only see about 7 cents in every dollar, or about $6 billion dollars of that amount.

Rather than going toward schools, hospitals and public infrastructure, billions of dollars went into the pockets of multinational mining corporations. The Greens believe there should be more money for schools and hospitals and less for mining billionaires.

Sign our petition calling on the NSW Labor Government to increase coal royalties to invest in communities.

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Why are children being exposed to the brutality and cruelty of greyhound tracks?

TAX SUPERPROFITS TO PAY WORKERS MORE

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