Cessnock Greyhound Racing Track

Mr KERRY HICKEY (Cessnock) [2.00 p.m.]: I again bring to the attention of the House the issue of greyhound racing in New South Wales and, in particular, greyhound racing in the Cessnock area. Previously I have very pointedly raised the issue of greyhound racing in Cessnock because I am very concerned about the future of greyhound racing in New South Wales. The current board of Greyhound Racing New South Wales closed down the Cessnock track, turned it into a trial track, and transferred meeting dates to the Gardens track at Newcastle, which is owned by the National Coursing Association.

The National Coursing Association has met financial difficulty in repaying loans granted to it by Greyhound Racing New South Wales to the extent that it has had to sell its property at Lidcombe to meet its debts. The National Coursing Association was given numerous extensions over a long period to repay its debts. As I have pointed out several times in previous speeches, Mr Richard Zammit was a member of the Greyhound Racing New South Wales board representing the National Coursing Association. He recently resigned. I have been informed that his reason for resigning was a conflict of interest which caused him to be excluded continuously from sections of board meetings when National Coursing Association issues were being discussed, particularly the Newcastle track known as the Gardens complex. This raises the questions: Was Mr Mangofas excluded when the board discussed tracks such as Maitland, and were independent members of the board excluded when discussing independent tracks?

When the Greyhound Racing New South Wales board was set up by Steve Rosier the structure provided for two Sydney metropolitan clubs to be members. But since the National Coursing Association sold its race dates at Wentworth Park there is only one metropolitan club, the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association [GBOTA]. Why is it necessary to have a representative from the National Coursing Association on the board when its original structure was to represent only two metropolitan clubs in the Sydney area? The other issue is: How can one association sell or organise the sale of race dates to another association? I cite the example of the National Coursing Association selling dates to the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association without the Minister or department being involved. Does that not create a problem in its own right?

One must ask how the National Coursing Association has been allowed to get into its current financial position. How much money has been allocated from the industry to the National Coursing Association for the Gardens complex? How much did the National Coursing Association lose on the sale of the offices that it owned at Lidcombe? How will the National Coursing Association repay money to the industry, considering it is the industry's money, when the Garden complex constantly is being propped up, requesting money from industry, and is involved in a losing proposition through its association with the Gardens at Newcastle? One must query the business reasons for shutting down independent tracks that are owned outright, are not costing Greyhound Racing New South Wales one cent, and are supporting other tracks, such as the Gardens complex, that impose on the industry for quite a large chunk of its profits, time and money.

The questions I have posed today regarding activities of the Greyhound Racing New South Wales have been directed to me by members of the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association and by members of the House. Members should be very careful about making comments in support of the Greyhound Racing New South Wales board. They should have regard to what has been happening in the greyhound industry and to the absurd decisions that have been made at the expense of the training and betting sectors of the industry and average owners of greyhounds. I have had conversations with George Bautree as well as the former and current Ministers for Gaming and Racing, but to date I have not been given a reasonable excuse for shutting down the Cessnock track.

I have outlined just some of the issues that the members of the Cessnock Showground Society have been raising with me for quite a few years. To be quite honest, I would not allow the Greyhound Racing New South Wales board to run any business that I have anything to do with. My principal reason for that would be that, under the leadership of Percy Allan, the board shut down the most profitable country track and reduced it to a trial track, but gave no reason for doing so. To demonstrate the high regard in which the Cessnock track is held by the greyhound industry, the Cessnock Showground Society has been holding trials at the track. So many nominations were received that the trial times had to be extended. What were the prizes people were competing for? Petrol vouchers and bottles of wine!

The other issue that really needs to be investigated is that I am told the Greyhound Racing New South Wales board is trying to charge the Cessnock Showground Society interest on moneys owed in relation to court action. If that is true, has the industry charged the National Coursing Association interest on moneys it owed in the past? It is the board discriminating against the Cessnock Showground Society? Was the court case involving the Cessnock Showground Society not about conflict of interest? Was not conflict of interest the reason for Richard Zammit's resignation? I ask the Minister to treat all the issues I have discussed with the seriousness they deserve and provide me with a response as soon as is practicable.

Ms TANYA GADIEL (Parramatta—Parliamentary Secretary) [2.05 p.m.]: As a Cessnock girl, it would be remiss of me not to comment on the importance of the greyhound racing, particularly the Cessnock Greyhound Racing Track, to Cessnock. You can take the girl out of Cessnock, but you cannot take the Cessnock out of the girl! The member for Cessnock is a very fierce advocate for the Cessnock region and I consider him to be a very good friend. The Cessnock community is in very good hands with him as its representative. I reiterate that the greyhound track is highly valued by the people of Cessnock, and we have an interest in its continued operation.