In July 2024, the Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris appointed the Lea Drake as an Acting Commissioner of the Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission to conduct an Inquiry into Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) under Part 8 of the Greyhound Racing Act 2017.
The purpose of the Inquiry into GRNSW was to ensure a viable and sustainable greyhound racing industry in NSW, and the highest standards of integrity and animal welfare.
The Inquiry’s original reporting date of 13 December 2024 was extended until 30 April 2025 and further extended to 31 July 2025.
Extensions to the reporting date were aimed at ensuring the Acting Commissioner had adequate time and resources to thoroughly consider the substantial and complex information provided to the Inquiry, including evidence from additional witnesses.
The Acting Commissioner consulted widely during the Inquiry, with a formal consultation period for five weeks, from 23 August 2024 to 27 September 2024, during which it received almost 1,600 public submissions.
Inquiry hearings took place over 31 sessions between 16 September 2024 and 13 February 2025 and heard from 38 witnesses.
The Report is comprehensive, at 722 pages, and is available on the Office of Racing website here.