Baird’s War On Gen Y: First He Took Their Nightlife, Now He Wants Their Greyhound Racing

7 July, 2016. 13:30

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In yet another blow to youth culture, Premier Mike Baird has today announced the decision to ban Greyhound Racing in New South Wales completely from July next year.

It follows a Special Commission of Inquiry, the findings of which were handed to the state government last week.

This announcement comes not even six months after over 15,000 young people marched through Sydney’s CBD against the staff cuts, venue shutdowns, a lack of personal freedom and lost opportunities for young musicians that have resulted from the State Government’s lock-out laws on licensed venues across New South Wales.

“This is another unnecessary blow to our youth culture in Sydney city” said pro-Greyhound racing activist and campaign director of Keep Greyhounds On Track, Bryson Vo.

“It’s not just old Greeks and Italians down there at the track. This is one of the few things that young people can do in this city without being forced to pour money into a pokie machine,”

“First he came for our pubs, and we didn’t act because very few of us were pub owners. Then he came for our farms in the Liverpool Plains, and once again we didn’t act because very few young people are Liverpool Plains farmers,”

“But now he’s coming for our Greyhounds. It’s stops here Casino Mike”

A recent survey commissioned by TAB found that over 30% of people in Sydney under the age of 40 are owners, or part-owners, of a competitive greyhound. Mr Vo says that it’s quite easy to see the agenda behind Baird’s new ‘lock-out’ on the competitive racing of domestic animals.

“It’s very clear that he’s in bed with developers. Another example of where political corruption takes priority over our youth,”

“We are locked out of superannuation, locked out of the housing market, locked out of the pubs, late night kebab stores… and now… We are locked out of Wenny Park, fuck ya.”

Mr Baird said the Special Commissions of Inquiry’s report found a large scale of animal mistreatment across the sport, but also pointed out that Wentworth Park in Sydney’s CBD could easily host a third casino if they “got rid of all those lowbreed punters and put a few cashed up chinamen on the job”.

The ban will come into effect on July 1, 2017.