Every year, millions of taxpayer dollars are funnelled into Victoria’s greyhound racing industry.

Through direct grants, infrastructure investment, and regulatory funding, public money is used not only to oversee the industry, but to actively sustain and subsidise its ongoing operations.

This is despite mounting evidence of cruelty, declining public support, and enormous financial cost to the community.

An independent Parliamentary Budget Office analysis commissioned by the Animal Justice Party found Victoria could save over $450 million across ten years by ending government subsidies to the greyhound racing industry.

In Victoria alone, 48 greyhounds were killed on racetracks last year, and more than 3,000 were injured in collisions and falls. Dogs are pushed to run at breakneck speeds of up to 70km/h around tight turns, placing immense pressure on their fragile bodies.

And despite years of taxpayer-funded “safety reforms”, Victoria remains home to some of the deadliest greyhound tracks in the country.

At the same time, Victorians are facing a cost-of-living crisis, with pressure on hospitals, mental health services, schools, housing and regional infrastructure. Yet hundreds of millions of dollars continue to be diverted into subsidising greyhound racing.

This is an industry repeatedly exposed for cruelty and misconduct, including live baiting, doping scandals, illegal exports, overbreeding, and neglect. Animal protection groups and whistleblowers continue to uncover disturbing practices behind the scenes, while the industry remains financially supported by government funding.

Victorians should not be forced to bankroll an industry that causes so much suffering to animals.

We are calling on the Victorian Government to:

1. End taxpayer subsidies and public funding for the greyhound racing industry
2. Redirect public money into essential community services and animal protection initiatives
3. Increase transparency around all government spending and financial support provided to greyhound racing

Enough is enough.

Greyhounds deserve better than to be treated as disposable commodities for gambling profits – and Victorian taxpayers deserve better than footing the bill.