THEIR LIVES, NOT OURS
defundtasracing.com
Tasracing is a state owned company (SOC), established in 2009 to replace the TOTE which formerly oversaw racing, gambling, and integrity under one body. The TOTE was sold in 2012 for $103 million. Since then, Tasracing has received annual payments from the state government (as well as additional grants and funding for specific projects) under a funding deed. This deed is set to expire in 2029, by which time Tasracing will have received well over half a billion dollars in what the SOCs CEO Andrew Jenkins has described as "compensation." Jenkins has indicated that after the funding deed expires, Tasracing will lobby for the continuation of state government funding. However, they wish to do so as the "masters of their own commercial destiny."
Animal Liberation Tasmania will campaign to ensure no funding agreement is undertaken after the current funding deed expires in 2029, and advocate for that funding deed to end sooner rather than later.
Wherever money is involved, animals will always finish last.
Beyond the exploitation inherent within the racing industry, there are issues relating to: animal welfare; deaths on tracks; wastage; the use and overuse of whips; jockeys being allowed to commit multiple infractions with minimum penalties; allegations of race fixing; and the domination of the greyhound and harness racing by two main names who work together.
All of which is majority funded by the Tasmanian taxpayer, to the tune of nearly $40 million per annum, with the Tasmanian Liberal government committed to increasing funding in the midst of a cost of living and housing crisis.
Anthony Bullock
Exposed
Lynden Nichols
Carol Nash
Gary & Robyn
Johnson
Zipping Princess
no happy ending
Nichols & Nash
Revisited
Barry Heawood
racing "royalty"
Nicholas Howlett
cocaine trainer
Bullock returns
questions remain
Brain Crawford
green water
KEY DEMANDS
Our primary objective is the abolition of all animal racing industries. Animal racing is animal exploitation, no matter what animal welfare policies are in place. Animal lives are their own, and their autonomy must be upheld to the fullest extent possible in an anthropocentric society. However, as we progress towards this goal, there are key areas we wish to see addressed.
Our current demands focus on the greyhound industry, however will expand as our campaign focus spreads towards other racing codes.
1. Defunding Tasracing: the funding deed upon which the industry currently relies to be economically viable ends in 2029, and will have seen over half a billion dollars of taxpayer funding being placed in the racing industry's pockets. In the midst of a growing cost of living crisis, this arrangement must cease. Taxpayer funding must not be used to support racing, to pay for prize purses, for the construction of new private facilities, or to support gambling ventures within the community.
2. Mandatory building codes for kennels: the Greyhound Kennels Code of 2019 from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain states that "wood is difficult to clean, and therefore should be avoided in kennels where possible. Moreover, chewed or splintered wood could present a hazard to greyhounds as well as harbouring pathogens." Wood as a primary building material for greyhound kennels should be banned, not only preventing the spread of pathogens or injury to greyhounds, but also the risk of exposure to arsenic.
3. Vets to be mandatory reporters: in cases where vets attend to a racing animal who is showing clear signs of cruelty or neglect (parasite burdens, unattended injuries, illness, or general condition), they should be mandated to report the case to Biosecurity Tasmania and the RSPCA Tasmania, until such time as an Independent Office of Animal Welfare is established to oversee animal welfare in all areas of animal exploitation, including racing.
4. Independent Office of Animal Welfare: an IOAW must be established, with the powers to investigate and prosecute animal cruelty and neglect. In direct relation to racing, appeals against stewards decisions regarding animal welfare breaches must be overseen by the IOAW, removing responsibility from the Tasmanian Racing Appeals Board.
5. Breeding quotas: breeding must be capped, with a quota system. Racing animal breeders will be required to purchase an allocation for the year. The number of quotas will be determined by the IOAW based upon the numbers of greyhounds currently racing, the numbers being prepared to race, and those who have exited the industry whether as deceased or as successfully rehomed survivors.
6.Raise the age: currently, greyhounds are racing at as young as 16 months of age. This places still developing bodies at increased risk of injury and stress. No greyhound should be raced under the age of 2 years old.
7. Electronic full-life tracking; every greyhound must be identifiable from whelping to death, from the track to rehoming, by an independent monitor. All "unnamed" dogs must be identifiable via this system, along with those exploited on the track and for breeding. No dog is to be left behind.
Animal Liberation Tasmania is an animal advocacy group founded in 2016, operating in lutruwita/Tasmania.
We acknowledge that we live and work on the unceded lands of the many palawa pakana peoples of lutruwita, and pay our respects to their elders past and present.
Always was, always will be, Aborginal land.
We are committed to creating safer spaces for all people, with a commitment to the principles of total liberation.
Contact us via email.
animalliberationtas.org
ABN 96 232 357 293
