Ban on Keeping Dogs for Greyhound Racing or Commercial Use
Greyhound Racing Legislation Amendments (Phasing Out Reform) Bill 2025
House of Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Introduced by: The Hon Roger Jaensch MP (LIB)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Jane Howlett LIB
“Honourable Speaker, I move - That the bill now be read the second time. In 2024 the Tasmanian government introduced the Racing Regulation and Integrity Act 2024 to address community concerns and to strengthen animal welfare outcomes across all codes of racing.”
Dean Winter ALP
“I think the end of that spoke to the utter betrayal. I don’t know how you did that. I don’t know how you did it either. Ms Finlay - No, that’s right; you should have taken that through. Mr WINTER - People’s lives destroyed for you. You, minister, can’t even get the words out to say the second reading speech.”
Rosalie Woodruff GRN
“Honourable Speaker, I rise today to give the Greens’ wholehearted support for this bill, and I mean that in every sense of that word. It is an historic day. Today kindness is prevailing and this legislation reflects a compassionate community, one that understands that the welfare of dogs is incompatible with the racing industry.”
Kristie Johnston IND
“Honourable Speaker, it is my pleasure to make my contribution on this very important bill. I normally want to prepare for a bill and a speech in this place by taking some time to sit down and write it.”
Janie Finlay ALP
“Honourable Speaker, I rise this afternoon to give my contribution on the bill before the House. In doing so, although some time has passed since this matter started, I want to reflect on what I saw as the minister stood to provide her second reading speech, and what I recount to be, as she struggled to deliver it and then almost broke to complete it.”
Peter George IND
“Honourable Speaker, I commend my Franklin colleague Mr Winter, for a heartfelt, passionate defence of the greyhound industry he clearly loves. He spoke from a wellspring of pain and of empathy for his community in the greyhound industry. In the end, his cause will likely be defeated by realpolitik. I acknowledge that a deal was done by the Liberals so that they could retain the Treasury ventures.”
Brian Mitchell ALP
“Honourable Speaker, what we have before us today is a bill about betrayal. This is not a bill necessarily about greyhound racing, although it’s going to end that sector. This is about betrayal. We have here a premier, a government and a minister who went to the election expressing fulsome support for the greyhound sector. They wrote letters about it saying, ’We support your sector’.”
Eric Abetz LIB
“Honourable Speaker, I rise to talk on the Greyhound Racing Legislation Amendments (Phasing Out Reform) Bill 2025. I have wrestled with this issue not just in this parliamentary term, for a number of years - from a working class perspective, and from a family perspective. My dad had greyhounds, and he trained a couple.”
Shane Broad ALP
“Honourable Speaker, I rise to make my comments on this bill that is designed to shut down the greyhound industry. How did we get to this point?”
Jen Butler ALP
“Honourable Speaker, I rise this evening to make a contribution, and I can’t believe that this is coming on so quickly after being announced straight after the election. We went into the election with a greyhound industry that was supported by the Liberal government.”
Anita Dow ALP
“Deputy Speaker, if the Greens and the crossbench think the Premier made his decision about phasing out greyhound racing in Tasmania purely on the basis of animal welfare, they are sadly mistaken. This Premier has no conviction around animal welfare.”
Jeremy Rockliff LIB
“Deputy Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to say a few words on this very important debate and a very emotional debate on both sides. I respect the views of those across the Chamber, laced with vitriol in some quarters but considered views in others, such as that of Mr Di Falco. I firstly say and commend our Minister for Racing, Ms Howlett.”