Greyhound racing set for big overhaul

Greyhound racing in WA is set for a radically restructured, with the Government-appointed board that controls the code to be abolished and more than one-third of permanent staff made redundant.

The restructure is part of attempts to staunch millions of dollars of losses greyhound racing has incurred in recent years amid high overheads and dwindling on-course betting turnover.

Racing and Gaming Minister Colin Holt plans to repeal the legislation that enshrines the WA Greyhound Racing Association as a government body, preferring to bring it into line with other racing codes, most likely as a greyhound racing club or clubs based around WA’s three greyhound venues of Cannington, Mandurah and Northam.

WAGRA is preparing to move from its Cannington headquarters to a scaled-down $13 million facility immediately north-east of the existing track in a move that it is hoped will save more than half a million dollars a year.

The new facility was fully funded by Racing and Wagering WA.

WAGRA’s most recent annual report shows it lost $468,000 last year and $384,000 in 2013. The losses would have been even bigger if not for government grants of $730,000 last year in 2014 and $1.1 million in 2013.

With the existing Cannington racetrack to be turned into a Bunnings outlet, WAGRA’s annual rent bill is set to will fall from $518,000 a year to $183,000 a year on the new, smaller block of land.

Initially, there will be no permanent grandstand or restaurant at the new facility. Rather, there will be a temporary two-storey structure with a bar and food outlet.

There are plans for a $7 million integrated tavern and conference facility but there is no funding for the project at present.

WAGRA will make about 14 people redundant, reducing its staff levels from 39 full-time employees to about 25.

WAGRA wants the Barnett Government to help meet the cost of redundancies but Mr Holt says any assistance will be a matter for Cabinet to decide.

“There’s no use in hiding the fact that the Government doesn’t want us on their resume,” WAGRA chief executive David Hobbs said.

“That’s the truth, we haven’t had any support at all.”

But he was confident that streamlining operations, which include sending the Greyhounds as Pets program and integrity functions to RWWA, would save a further $200,000 a year.

Mr Holt said the new, smaller Cannington facility would be fit-for-purpose, helping greyhound racing’s sustainability.

“I believe a restructuring of WAGRA so it is no longer a statutory authority under government will bring the greyhound code and its administration into line with the two other racing codes in WA and is more appropriate,” he said.