Motion Horse racing Dr Kaye to move: 1. This House notes that on Tuesday 5 November the Melbourne Cup Race will be held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria 2. That this House also notes significant community concerns about the treatment of horses in the thoroughbred racing industry, including that: a) Only thirty precent of the 18,000 thoroughbred foals born in Australia will ever end up racing b) Significant numbers of failed and injured racehorses are sent to knackeries to be slaughtered primarily for pet food c) A high proportion of horses in the racing industry are fed high-concentrate diet and denied the opportunity to continuously graze, resulting in 89% of horses experiencing gastric ulcers, the severity intensifying with training and racing d) A high proportion of horses in the thoroughbred racing industry suffer from significant incidences of musculoskeletal injuries resulting from racing and training e) More than 75% of racing thoroughbred horses in the racing industry suffer from bleeding in the lungs and windpipe (Exercise-induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage) due to over-exertion f) Whipping of horses is still commonplace in the NSW racing industry, despite a study undertaken by the University of Sydney, which won the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for scientific research, which has demonstrated that that horses run fastest when not being whipped g) A high proportion of horses in the racing industry are forced to endure solitary confinement, resulting in abnormal, stereotypic behaviour including crib-biting, weaving, box-walking and wind-sucking, due to lack of social interaction and intermittent feeding. 3. That this house recognises that wagering on horse racing in NSW contributes to incidences of problem gambling and associated social harms, and, in particular that: a) betting on horse racing comprised 14% of total wagering expenditure in Australia, equating to $2.6 billion annually b) the participation rates for race gambling were significantly higher in young people 4. That this house expresses concern over the failure of the regulatory process to ensure appropriate treatment of horses in the thoroughbred racing industry and the welfare of animals once they exit the industry, including that: a) The Australian Racing Board and Racing NSW are failing to enforce and penalise breaches of animal welfare, including the use of the whip when the horse is showing no response or when a horse is whipped on the head, abdomen or flank b) State agencies governing knackeries are not required to maintain any records regarding the process of meat for pet food, including the number and type of horses being slaughtered c) The Australian Racing Board and Racing NSW are failing to document the destinations of racehorses once they leave the racing industry, estimated to be approximately 18,000 each year 5. That this house calls on the Minister for Gaming and Racing Minister George Souris to: a) Review the role and effectiveness of Racing NSW in regards to the monitoring and enforcement of animal welfare and the potential conflict of interest of one body both regulating and promoting thoroughbred horse racing in NSW b) Ensure that industry regulation of animal welfare is based on current scientific research c) Re-examine the effectiveness of the existing compliance-based regulatory framework and the failure of punitive measures in place for breaches of animal welfare
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 02:28:58 +0000
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