Greyhound Racing Act 2019

Regulations to regulate greyhound race tracks and greyhound racing

21. (1) The Board may, after consultation with the Minister, make regulations for the use, management and control of greyhound race tracks in relation to the following:

(a) permits to permit a person to perform the functions of racing manager, handicapper, judge, control steward, stipendiary steward, time-keeper, hare driver or kennel hand on a greyhound race track;

(b) prohibiting persons from performing the functions of kennel hand except under and in accordance with a permit granted under regulations made under this subsection for the purposes of paragraph (a);

(c) operation of electronic surveillance at greyhound race tracks or parts thereof;

(d) the periods of the year during which greyhound races on greyhound race tracks may take place;

(e) the refusal of entries for races at greyhound race tracks in the case of greyhounds in respect of which disqualification orders are in force;

(f) the procedure for, and the conditions precedent to, the acceptance of greyhounds for, and their participation in, races at greyhound race tracks;

(g) the procedure for the grading of greyhounds for participation in races at greyhound race tracks and the conditions precedent to their acceptance for, and their participation in, graded races;

(h) the type and number of officials to be appointed at a greyhound race track;

(i) the functions and duties of officials (including racing manager, handicapper, judge, control steward, stipendiary steward, time-keeper, hare driver or kennel hand) in relation to greyhound racing;

(j) providing for the duties of the licensee of a greyhound race track;

(k) requiring the provision of persons to perform specified functions on greyhound race tracks;

(l) the publication and sale of race cards for races at greyhound race tracks and the information to be given in the cards as regards the greyhounds participating in races by licensees under greyhound race track licences;

(m) the keeping and the supervision of greyhounds immediately before and after their participation in races at greyhound race tracks;

(n) the manner of starting, operating the mechanism of, timing and judging of races at greyhound race tracks;

(o) the recording and publication by licensees under greyhound race track licences of information relating to the participation and performance (including behaviour) of greyhounds in races at greyhound race tracks;

(p) the use of electronic communication devices at greyhound race tracks;

(q) requiring the keeping, in relation to greyhound race tracks by the licensee of the track, of specified books, accounts and records;

(r) requiring the furnishing to the Board of specified returns and information in relation to greyhound race tracks.

(2) The Board may, after consultation with the Minister, make regulations for the conduct of greyhound races (including the promotion of integrity and fair play in races) in relation to the following:

(a) setting conditions as to which greyhounds from other jurisdictions may participate at a greyhound race in the State;

(b) the use of information technology, including digital recording, to ensure the integrity of the sport;

(c) prohibiting certain functions or activities in the greyhound industry from being undertaken by a person without a permit or licence;

(d) providing the procedures for the qualification of a greyhound to race;

(e) making provision for the circumstances in which a greyhound is not permitted to race;

(f) providing procedures for entry or withdrawal of a greyhound in a greyhound race;

(g) providing for equipment or other items that may be used in the training or racing of a racing greyhound;

(h) providing procedures and criteria for retention by the Board of monetary prizes or part thereof;

(i) supervision of racing greyhounds at greyhound race tracks;

(j) providing for the safe and fair running of greyhound races, including—

(i) starting of races, operation of mechanisms used in races, timing and distances of races,

(ii) items permitted on a greyhound (such as muzzles),

(iii) approval of equipment,

(iv) conditions of the race track and ancillary areas,

(v) restricted areas and the class or classes of persons who are allowed in the restricted areas and the circumstances in which persons may be in restricted areas,

(vi) grading of greyhounds, grading of races or suspension of races,

(vii) circumstances in which a greyhound race may be declared a “No-race”, and

(viii) treatment of bets on greyhound races in specified circumstances;

(k) establishing a complaints procedure for handling complaints against officials of the Board or a permit holder under regulations made under subsection (1) for the purposes of paragraph (a) of that subsection;

(l) making arrangements for dealing with syndicates who own racing greyhounds or multiple owners;

(m) recognition of sanctions imposed by foreign greyhound racing jurisdictions;

(n) prohibiting the entry to a greyhound race in the State of a greyhound the subject of a sanction of a foreign greyhound racing jurisdiction;

(o) procedures for dealing with the incorrect declaration of a greyhound in greyhound races, trials, training and sales;

(p) prohibiting actions or omissions which the Board consider to bring the sport into disrepute;

(q) providing for the allocation of traps to, and the seeding of, greyhounds and for the use of reserve greyhounds;

(r) providing for the classification and description of races and the conduct of such races when so classified.

(3) The Board may, after consultation with the Minister, make regulations for the proper and efficient administration of greyhound racing in relation to the following:

(a) the promotion of greyhound racing;

(b) the fixing of charges in relation to licences or permits;

(c) providing procedures for the registration of racing greyhounds;

(d) providing procedures for grading racing greyhounds;

(e) the publication of the details of owners, trainers and other interested parties in a racing greyhound, greyhound race track or greyhound racing venture;

(f) the publication and sale of race cards or other information owned or held by the Board;

(g) making provision for the conduct of trials;

(h) making provision for the handling and removal of a racing greyhound which may be a danger to a person or another greyhound from a race track, trials or public sale;

(i) providing procedures for determining and awarding prizes for greyhound racing.

(4) The Board may make charges for entry of a greyhound to a greyhound race.

(5) A person who contravenes a regulation made under this section, and which is stated in the regulations to be a racing sanction provision, commits a sanction breach of the Racing code and is liable to a racing sanction.