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At a time when greyhound racing's future is being questioned around Australia, spending $8.5 million on a new track in Murray Bridge might sound like a surprising burst of optimism.

But Matt Corby has a message for anyone who would like to see the South Australian industry shut down: come and see it for yourself before you condemn it.

The chief executive officer of Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) said protests including a petition against the new track signed by more than 120,000 people from around the world only motivated him to make the industry as safe as he could.

"We've shown over a long period of time that SA bats at a higher level, in an environment where rigour is an everyday proposition," he said.

"I don't think many people would anticipate that this year we've spent $1.5 million on re-homing greyhounds.

"We ... compel re-homing of dogs there isn't a choice.

"In April 70 per cent of the greyhounds which retired from racing were re-homed; by the end of the year it will be 80 per cent."

Only those whose temperaments did not suit them to home life were euthanised.

But he pointed out that 22pc of stray animals collected by the RSPCA met the same fate.

He also noted GRSA's track injury rehabilitation scheme, which heavily subsidised the cost of veterinary treatment for any dog hurt during a race.

"We've got to behave in a manner that sets the standard, advocate for other states to follow that standard, and we've got to work towards being part of a healthy and accountable national industry," he said.

"You can ... fear the future, but if you don't invest in yourselves, you'll have no future."

Peak body took long-term view
When GRSA reviewed its assets in 2011, it found its 11 tracks were under-utilised and not well aligned with the three main centres of greyhound racing in the state: the Adelaide Plains, southern Adelaide and Mount Gambier.

"We had too many tracks and in the wrong regions," Mr Corby said.

The organisation decided to focus on its flagship circuit at Angle Park, in Adelaide; Gawler; Mount Gambier; a "non-TAB" venue at Port Augusta, whose race meetings are not broadcast; and a new venue to replace the ageing one at Strathalbyn.

Murray Bridge's association with other forms of racing, and the supportive attitude of the city's council, made it a natural fit.

GRSA looked at eight other sites around the district, including one alongside the new racecourse at Gifford Hill, before settling on a block of land on Kennett Road, between the speedway and showground on the east side.

In 2016 it lodged plans for a state-of-the-art facility it hoped would be among the most modern and animal-friendly in the nation.

Both its straight track and its circle, with only one sweeping turn, were designed to make racing easier on greyhounds' bodies.

"The larger the radius (of a corner), the easier it is to get around," Mr Corby said.

"Not only are there safety benefits ... but older dogs might be able to race longer as well."

It will be the first wholly new greyhound racing venue built in Australia in about 15 years.

Its location only a few kilometres from Mobilong Prison, where prisoners train ex-racing dogs ready to be adopted, will also be convenient; and its main building will be available for hire as a function centre, something Murray Bridge had lacked.

First meeting due in five weeks
A final race meeting was held at Strathalbyn on October 21, and GRSA hopes to host the first meeting at its newest venue next month.

Sand was still being laid on the racing surface on Wednesday, and will need to be compacted before trainers are allowed to bring dogs for solo trials, half-race trials and finally a dummy race meeting planned for December 8, when strategic projects manager Scott Wuchatsch said track lights and audio-visual equipment would be tested.

"We've got to be able to get our vision out, our race callers out, make sure the TVs are working, make sure the bar's working," he said.

"The biggest one we're waiting on is the lights the lights are (coming) on a boat."

Should all go well, an inaugural race meeting has been pencilled in for December 19.

When the venue is fully functional, weekly races will be held on Sunday evenings, "a family-friendly timeslot".

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This kind of POSITIVE education for the public has been sadly neglected in all other States ..

This is the kind of direction all other States must follow .

Once again well done Matt Corby and his team in SA .. he is leading the way FORWARD ..

Backed by a good board and various committees made up of racing participants,who all work together toward the same goals. South Australia has quietly been an industry leader for a long time.

As such, it is not as constrained by political input.

Perhaps the Perna Report could be enacted by splitting GRV; the industry regulator function being a public authority structure, and the operations falling under a new public company structure as per GRSA.

The members could the clubs and GOTBA, as per GRSA. This should also make for a more harmonious co-existence between the operator and participants.

And perhaps go one step further by RSPCA being a member. This might force a decision as to whether to have input into positive change, or to just be confrontational (or to put it more bluntly, better in the tent pissing out than in the tent pissing in).

Correct Ross.

Be careful about advocating RSPCA as part of any board/committee

GRSA is owned by the clubs but governed by a mostly independent board. Even so, all states must have government issues because they control the purse strings via betting rules. SA Treasury led the way on POCT, for example. Politics does count.

I have yet to see a single good reason for splitting authorities up into integrity and commercial arms. Where it occurs it has been a function of poor management in the first place, and has been prompted by people who had no idea what they were doing (lawyers and public servants, not businessmen). Invariably, it costs more and the difference comes out of owner/trainer pockets.

RSPCA's role is welfare, not racing, and its approach varies between states. Their oversight of animals is fine but they have no competence in racing. In fact, Vic government told them to keep the hell out of racing, unlike in NSW where the local boss stood on the same platform as Mike Baird when he banned dog racing and where he got appointed to the so-called Reform Panel which introduced excessive regulation to the code (but government ignored otherwise identical issues in the thoroughbreds).

You consult with RSPCA; you don't let them make the rules.

The same should apply to the various GOTBA groups, whose performances and obligations vary widely from place to place. At worst, they become embedded with the authority and therefore lack perspective (eg NSW). In any event, they represent only a minority of the owner/trainer group and not at all other stakeholder groups such as customers and the public.

Whatever your view of these things the killer is that everything is run by a committee of management. That's what has to change. It's a dud.