Penalties for serious animal cruelty reduced because the regulator took too long

A greyhound industry participant who provided such unsafe conditions for their animals that a dog died had their penalty reduced because the regulator took so long to investigate.

It’s just one of a litany of issues detailed in a scathing report into the functioning of the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission, which found a series of failings at the racing regulator, just weeks after former chief commissioner Alby Taylor was removed from office after an investigation into “alleged misbehaviour”.

Auditor-General Bola Oyetunji’s report is separate to an ongoing investigation into workplace issues at the regulator, which the Herald revealed has included allegations of unwanted massages, racist comments and sexual harassment.

Oyetunji found that inefficient case management meant investigations into serious animal welfare concerns were significantly delayed, leading to reduced penalties for the individuals involved due to the drawn-out process. The report identified cases where serious allegations had taken close to, or in one case more than, two years to resolve.

The report also found GWIC staff tasked with investigating animal welfare concerns didn’t have access to a structured, ongoing training program which, along with poor case management, increased the likelihood of errors being made.

A lack of industry-wide compliance blitzes also limits the regulator’s ability to find and stamp out risks before they become major issues, the report found. There was also no clear explanation from the regulator that links its regulatory work to intended outcomes, making it difficult to show if GWIC’s activities are improving greyhound welfare, the report found.

Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst said the report showed GWIC had no credible way to show it is improving animal welfare.

“One of the most appalling findings is that GWIC’s own incompetency resulted in reduced penalties for very serious animal cruelty,” she said.

“After five reviews since 2016, the government cannot pretend this regulator merely needs another action plan and more time.”

The report did give GWIC credit for implementing the eTrac system, which requires greyhound owners to update details about dogs on to an online database to better track deaths, injuries and general population figures. The report noted this reporting is more frequent and detailed than other jurisdictions.

“We recognise the opportunities we now have to further enhance our regulatory framework, systems, procedures and reporting and reaffirm our commitment to delivering the highest welfare and integrity standards,” GWIC acting chief executive officer Matthew Tutt said.

“GWIC is committed to implementing the constructive recommendations, and indeed we have already taken steps to elevate our governance. This work will support our ongoing focus on continuous improvement.”

Premier’s Department secretary Simon Draper has engaged employer consultancy company Intersection to conduct staff interviews and to prepare a draft report into workplace culture issues at GWIC, which is expected to be handed to government in the coming months. The same organisation was used by Nine, owner of this masthead, to conduct a review into the company’s workplace culture.

The inquiry will identify improvements “that support a well-governed, safe, respectful and inclusive workplace”.

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