Greyhound and horse racing would be banned and tracks at Dapto, Bulli and Kembla Grange would be transformed for community use under a newly announced Greens proposal.
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On Tuesday the Greens outlined a plan to end greyhound racing in NSW over the course of one year and horse racing over four, as well as ban rodeos and petting zoos.
Racing industry workers would get support to gain new skills and employment and race tracks would be repurposed, with a commitment that at least 60 per cent of tracks would become green space.
Wollongong Greens candidate in the upcoming state election, Cath Blakey, said existing animal race tracks at Dapto, Bulli and Kembla Grange held potential for other such uses as parks or sporting facilities.
"We can re-imagine these spaces as all sorts of things," Ms Blakey said.
But she said there would need to be a conversation with the community about what new purposes these facilities could take.
Dapto Showground is already looking at a future without greyhound racing after Greyhound Racing NSW purchased land on Bong Bong Road for the development of a new $11 million racing facility, to which it hopes to move before the current lease at the showground expires in June 2025.
Ms Blakey has previously spoken out against that plan.
Meanwhile, Wollongong City Council has been working on a master plan for Bulli Showground, which will consider future uses of the site.
The 'Dapto Dogs' are a cultural icon for the area, but Ms Blakey is confident that relegating greyhound racing to the past will not be an issue for the community.
"I think the Dapto community's ready to move beyond animal cruelty and gambling," she said, adding there were also "lots of things going on" in the West Dapto area that would build a strong community identity without greyhound racing.
Passing the Greens' plan through parliament would take support from the next government or opposition, but Ms Blakey said she was hopeful that the Greens would gain more seats in the upper house come the election and be in a stronger position to make the proposal reality.
She said racing industry reforms had failed to adequately address issues of animal wastage and injury.
The Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission's latest quarterly injury report shows 19 dogs were euthanised or died on the track between July and September last year, while another 920 were injured (this figure also includes dogs euthanised away from the track) - the highest rate of injury for the quarter in at least six years.
The Greens' pre-election proposal comes six and a half years after the Coalition government led by then-Premier Mike Baird announced it would end greyhound racing by July 2017, only to back down months later under heavy pressure from the opposition and industry.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
