In recent times GA has .

COBALT. Instituted a flawed study and rule concerning cobalt and arsenic. The research was far too limited and, in effect, ended up as a cut down copy of thoroughbred rules. It failed to establish any relationship between the use of these substances and dog performance. Testing/swabbing methods have also been queried.

BREEDING RESTRICTIONS. Hired consultants to study and report on limitations that should be applied to breeding numbers in each state even though such a practice appears contrary to laws addressing restraint of trade. No report has ever been published so the effort and the expense were wasted anyway.

CUT BACK RACING. Written a confidential memo to all state CEOs calling for a one third reduction in racing activity supposedly to combat overbreeding which, in any event, has never occurred (breeding had been falling steadily for over a decade according to GAs own figures). The memo was released by GRNSW to the McHugh Commission, which blindly accepted false conclusions and incorrect data contained in it. That led directly to the Baird ban on greyhound racing in NSW and, following that, the shutdown of racing in ACT.

GREY2K. Conducted interviews and photo opportunities with a Grey2K chief on her visit to Australia. Grey2K is violently opposed to greyhound racing and its reps were thrown off a NZ track just prior to the Australian visit.

ANTIS. Indicated a desire to include anti-racing groups on advisory committees. Consulting is one thing, giving them status quite another. Where applicable (eg NSW) the RSPCA should also be limited to subjects related to welfare, not to racing itself which is not its brief.

INDUSTRY DATA. Stopped producing Australian industry data after 2015 for no apparent reason. Industry business decisions are poorer as a result.

GA MEETINGS. Failed to report on agendas and outcomes of the regular quarterly meetings of the GA board (which embraces all states and NZ). Secrecy dominates.

NO POWER. GA which is a grouping of all states has refused to award itself any power or coverage of commercial matters. That authority remains with individual states. In any event, GA has no power at all other than for clerical issues such as dog names. Therefore it cannot properly represent the national industry.

With the industry in a perilous state following a continuing fall in greyhound numbers there is no better time than now to completely overhaul what GA does and how it does it. The various state members owe it to the industry to immediately call for reform and strengthening of the organisation. What we have has not worked so dont repeat it.

A statesmen or two amongst the members could make that happen. Letters to your state board could help, too.

GA is controlled by the GRV and has always been controlled by them ....

Kev,

I don't think the guy was an anti but the actions taken by GA (see list) ended up contrary to the code's interests. There is no admission that mistakes were made - for which the GA members, including Cartwright, were also responsible.

For example, that so-called confidential memo almost caused the failure of the entire industry and we are still feeling the aftershocks. It was worded badly and contained suggestions (eg one third reductions) that not only were poorly thought out but failed to address the consequences. For a corporate executive that is a monster error. It was diametrically opposed to what should have been done - ie fight the cause.

Cartwright is almost a lone ranger on the Q board - which is itself a ridiculous governance system - but I have yet to hear a peep out of him or any other state GA member querying what has happened. Therefore I have to assume they approved!!!

The related issue is that neither the CEO or GA as such have any power or authority to act. Approval of any measures can come only from state members and boards when they get home.

Despite that lack of power, it is ironic that what GA does can, and does, endanger the whole industry. The proof is in the pudding. A lack of change will ensure the industry goes backwards.

It's nice that people find the office staff helpful but that is very small beer.

"GA is controlled by the GRV and has always been controlled by them ...."

Well, maybe, but we don't really know that. However, I have heard it directly from a ranking GRV person that GA is pretty much a waste of space.

But that's not the main point. If any one state does not like a new process or rule then it will not happen. The industry cannot really function if one state objects and upsets the applecart. That is also why it takes so long for anything new to be enacted - the painfully slow introduction of the green rug (18 months) was a classic example. You could watch a blue rug in one race then a green one soon after.

A further example is that it is now over a decade since Queenslanders were promised $10m for a Gold Coast replacement - yet there is no sign at all of that happening.

It is why ex-Racing Minister Grant was able to cut back on our just rewards for POC tax and tax parity. SA also had come hassles before it was finally sorted out.

The ultimate conclusion is that we are a leaderless mob. Not even brumbies or dingos subscribe to that. Consequently, our influence is between minimal and zero and people like ex-Premier Baird can get away with blue murder.

We need an Alpha male and an organisation to go with him.

I have always thought a central body (for instance Greyhounds Australasia ... or whoever it might be) should be in charge of all naming of greyhounds, licensing of breeders, owners, trainers, kennel hands etc.

Obviously GA would need to be expanded, but the money saved by individual state bodies could be channelled into the central body then handling all such registrations.

Having a NATIONAL body may have headed off any such move when Baird/Grant tried to "outlaw" greyhound licensees in NSW. If a trainer etc is licensed nationally, it's a bit difficult to ban them in one state only.

But, remembering the green rug debacle only too well, such a move could also run into great difficulties considering how slow decisions can be made.

DB

"Slow" happens when the man in charge has no authority and the board meets only once every three months - and then often has to go back home to check on the details - so six months is a minimum, even when you all agree. It's a farce.

The gallops have the same system but get away with it because NSW and Victoria are so powerful (with big shots etc) that they take little notice of what the other states do (Note that whip rules differ). Plus those other states are often running into strife anyway - as SA is now.

But the greyhound National need is far greater than just licensing. Try ...

* Consistent stewards decisions and penalties
* Consistent grades
* Consistent Masters/Veterans rules
* Usable formguides (Vic is fine, the rest are rubbish - ie Ozchase)
* One page meeting results (same as above) - for printing or digital download
* A single source for all data - all customer friendly
* National advertising and PR (or any advertising really)
* Professional track design
* Political lobbying
* Better deals with betting houses
* Common breeding rules (which mostly apply anyway)
* (Insert your suggestion)

Even after doing this, the states would always have residual powers in certain areas - welfare and related penal codes, for example - and would need to contribute to the cause in various ways. Baird would still have been able to halt racing by one device or another (most tracks are directly or indirectly controlled by state governments).

It would also require harmonisation of betting practices although states could still apply differing tax/commission rates if they wished (although the Productivity Commission recommended a consistent approach there, too).

Whatever, it is a job that can and should be done. But nobody can bring it off except for the greyhound industry itself.

Cricket has done it. Tennis has done it. AFL has done it. Soccer and NRL have done it - sort of. They all changed from a state-centric position, sometimes kicking and screaming, but they recognised the national approach was the only way to go. Most notable was the VFL which could easily have stopped the entire AFL process but elected to take a statesmanlike attitude.

PS I would bet that rug decision was taken by half a dozen old fogies sitting around a table with advice from a material manufacturer. None of those people were competent to do such a job. The should have had an industry manager and a professional colour consultant do the job. They would have tested their solutions on a wild and woolly night with dogs in the back straight.

Please loving racing your animals in a time honoured fashion should be more important than heritage listing a f'n building I reckon

Political correctness will doom all the working classes possibility of escaping the NEW LEFTS serfdom to nil

racing a doggy now it sounds as if you must have a bullshit degree from Latrobe Uni in science newspeak and total unadulterated wankerism (PhD plenty given out each year)

Could be wrong but I believe Nietsche warned us (Thus Spoke Zarasthustra)

I just plant the seeds in inhospitable ground in the hope that some will come up. Maybe the Ayatollah will help? Or Alexander?