Gone to dogs in all ways

THERE is plenty of cause in Queensland and across Australia for a lot of people who have been involved in the greyhound racing scandal to hang their heads in shame.

Fallout threatens to have an impact far and wide – as it should, because there is a likelihood that apart from those people directly involved in sickening practices, many more were in a position to speak up or act to halt the barbarity of figures they rubbed shoulders with, yet failed to do so and as a consequence deserve to cop some element of blame.

According to Commissioner Alan MacSporran, who handed his inquiry report with its recommendations to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday, public confidence in greyhound racing has been dealt a near-terminal blow.

Archaic and barbaric training practices that used terrified animals as live bait, and levels of cruelty to greyhounds that had outlived their use, are deeply disturbing.

It is difficult to imagine how any of the measures Ms Palaszczuk is likely to announce will go far enough.

Greyhound racing is already illegal in 39 states of the US. Given the level of public abhorrence at what has been revealed about live baiting here, industry supporters would struggle to win public sympathy if Queensland bans the “sport’’.

But in all likelihood this Government will instead announce a tightening of controls. These must be significant, otherwise there will be an angry – and justified – public backlash.

At the very least, the industry has to be stripped back to basics and rebuilt.

Unscrupulous owners and trainers without a bone of compassion or humanity in their bodies must be shown the door in no uncertain terms.