SA Greyhound Racing Industry to Continue with Independent Watchdog

South Australia's greyhound racing industry will continue to operate with the appointment of an independent watchdog, following a report into its two-year reform period.

The state's greyhound racing industry was given a two-year deadline to implement dozens of recommendations to improve its practices, following an independent inquiry. The inquiry delivered 87 recommendations in 2023, with 78 of them the responsibility of Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA).

Key Recommendations

Sal Perna, Victoria's former racing integrity commissioner, was appointed in 2024 to monitor the implementations of the recommendations and handed his final 172-page report to the government. Mr Perna made two key recommendations: that racing continue in South Australia and that there was a need for greater oversight of animal welfare and integrity issues.

Mr Perna says he believes the remaining five recommendations can be accomplished "in the near future".

"The reforms that have been made in greyhound racing in South Australia are significant — there's been changes to administration, to operation, to integrity, to race day and a lot of them have been focused on the welfare part, which is probably the most critical," Mr Perna said.

Mr Perna said GRSA has responded to 73 of the 78 recommendations that they were responsible for.

"The other five are still a work in progress but we think [they] can be accomplished in the near future," he said.

"They've spent a lot of money — millions — in accomplishing the recommendations that were required and I think they're in a much better position."

Government Response

The state government said it would implement legislation next year to support the creation of an integrity body.

"We will be engaging with all interested parties, not just greyhound racing, but of course the RSPCA and other welfare groups," sport and racing minister Rhiannon Pearce said.

Greyhound Racing SA chief executive Brenton Scott welcomed the government's announcement, describing it as a positive outcome for the greyhound industry that provided certainty on its future.

"I believe we've got the strongest possible welfare and integrity framework that can be put in place to ensure a sustainable and ethical industry going forward," he said.

Mr Scott said all of the recommendations regarding racing safety had been implemented, and there were "still minor amounts of work required" for full implementation on the five remaining recommendations.

Concerns Raised

Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds spokeswoman Elle Trahair said some of the five outstanding recommendations related to how dogs were trained and lived; areas she said were where the "biggest welfare harms occur".

"Injuries, over-breeding [and] the way greyhounds are housed and kept are the biggest welfare issues affecting the industry and its ongoing social license, and they remain outstanding," she said.

She also criticised the time it would take to implement the independent watchdog.

"This policy response from the government with no clear timeframes does not meet that community expectation and is not good enough," she said.

Greens MLC Melanie Selwood opposed the announcement and said her party would "continue to stand with the community in demanding an end to greyhound racing in South Australia".

Mr Scott said greyhound racing in South Australia had been "completely transparent" during the past two years.

"Moreover, we expect to be held to account and the implementation of the racing integrity body will ensure that accountability is enhanced and we will be judged by our performance," he said.