Johnston Calls Out Taxpayer-Funded Greyhound ‘Rent a Crowd’ Inducements

Media release – independent Member for Clark, Kristie Johnston, 9 May 2023

Johnston Calls Out Taxpayer-Funded Greyhound ‘Rent a Crowd’ Inducements

Today in Parliament, the independent Member for Clark, Kristie Johnston, asked the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hospitality and Community Development, Nic Street, whether he felt it appropriate that taxpayer’s funds are being used to entice sporting clubs with cash inducements to attend greyhound race meetings at the Elwick Racecourse.

The ‘Sporting Clubs Challenge’, an initiative of the Tasmanian Hospitality Association and Hobart Greyhound Racing Club, involves sporting clubs being offered a $500 cash payment plus other inducements should they have 10 or more of their members attend the greyhound racing meeting at the Elwick Racecourse.

There is also an additional opportunity to win up to an extra $1000 with each sporting club drawing a greyhound for the main race.

“We all know that young males are especially susceptible to problem gambling and addiction, yet here we have the greyhound racing industry irresponsibly plying this demographic with taxpayer-funded cash incentives, drink and gambling vouchers.

It’s totally wrong, and I would even suggest it is a breach of the Responsible Gambling Mandatory Code of Practice for Tasmania,” Ms Johnston said.

“Greyhound racing is in a steady decline in Tasmania and this is a desperate attempt by the industry to clear the cobwebs from their turnstiles and effectively bribe cash-strapped sporting clubs and their members into being part of a ‘rent a crowd’ in the hope of getting them hooked on this cruel ‘sport’.”

“It has nothing to do with bringing clubs together as the Minister suggested in his response,” Ms Johnston said.

Media release – Clubs Tasmania, 10 May 2023

Clubs Tasmania & THA support Hobart Football Club

Clubs Tasmania Project Manager Tom Darke and Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief executive Steve Old stand alongside the Hobart Football Club in regards to the recent criticism from independent Member for Clark Kristie Johnston.

Ms Johnston’s ill-informed remarks during Parliamentary Privilege on May 9 about the football club attending a greyhound racing meeting at the invitation of the Hobart Greyhound Racing Club were nothing other than a cheap political stunt.

The only role Clubs Tasmania plays is as a facilitator in connecting local sporting clubs with the HGRC on selected race meetings and providing them with a networking opportunity in a laid-back environment. Much of the feedback we receive from both clubs and the HGRC on these evenings’ centres on the education and awareness around the Greyhound Adoption Program.

Any cash incentives provided to the clubs for attending has nothing to do with either Clubs Tasmania or the Tasmanian Hospitality Association.

Clubs Tasmania provides a vast array of services to local sporting clubs and organisations to ensure they can survive and thrive. Already this year we have organised a host of grant writing workshops, digital ready courses, sports taping sessions and committee training sessions right around the state. Often staffed only with a dedicated group of volunteers, community clubs can access all these services which are aimed to keep them viable both on and off the sporting arena.

It is extremely disappointing to see Ms Johnston use parliamentary privilege to push a political agenda, but sadly not the first time she has done so.