BRANXTON greyhound trainer Lindsay Davis has a simple message for NSW Premier Mike Baird: “You have to listen to us.”
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“We’ve been saying it will take away our livelihoods, we’ve been saying it’s less that one per cent of us doing the wrong thing – but he’s not listening,” she said.
“How can you put an argument forward if he’s not going to listen.”
Ms Davis was among the many at Maitland Greyhound Track on Thursday afternoon, which met for the second time since the state government announced it would ban greyhound racing after findings of “widespread cruelty” in the sport.
Devastated Hunter trainers said emotion was still high even after the passing of a week.
Abermain hobby trainer Jim York said he remained in disbelief.
“You don’t process it, you can’t process it,” he said.
“When I lost my job, the greyhounds gave me something to go on with – the sport gave me sanity.
“They want to take all of that away from me at the stroke of a pen.”
Cessnock breeder Brian Young said he had been following the sport since he was 16 years old.
Mr Young said he had written letters to government MPs, and had been circulating a petition that was gathering signatures from “people you wouldn’t expect”.
“The support has been great,” he said. “But the only way we’re going to defeat the bill is for Mr Baird to allow his MPs to have a conscience vote. There’s already a few that say they won’t support it, so how many more are there?” he said.
It was a sentiment seized on by state Labor MPs Jenny Aitchison (Maitland) and Clayton Barr (Cessnock), who were both at the track as part of a welcoming day to showcase the industry to the community.
It came as Mr Baird said there was no chance he would change is mind on the decision.
“He’s got to get out in the community, start listening and get off social media,” Ms Aitchison said, referring to Mr Baird’s habit of using Facebook to make significant announcements.
Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association Hunter representative Kevin Gordon likened the fight to the Kerrigan family’s resolve in The Castle.
“The mood of the trainers is just utter desperation,” he said. “They are good people who just love their greyhounds.”
