Seriously, a desperate and cynical campaign to fool the public

With a damning report by their former chief vet about to be released, Greyhound Racing NSW launched a blitz of full-page ads in newspapers in early July 2024.

Most of the ads appeared in regional papers, but also showed up in the Sydney Morning Herald.

The desperate attempt to mislead the public that everything was fine in greyhound racing was an expensive failure.

After the vet’s report was tabled in NSW Parliament thanks to AJP’s Emma Hurst, things happened fast.

A series of shocking revelations in the media rocked the country, GRNSW CEO Robert Macaulay resigned on 9 July, racing minister David Harris announced an inquiry into GRNSW and asked the GRNSW board to show cause why it shouldn’t be sacked. 

Best year ever? Maybe for the papers that took money from the dog racing business. The full-page ads appeared in the Bathurst Western Advocate (six times), Dubbo Daily Liberal (six), Newcastle Herald (five), Illawarra Mercury (five), Orange Central Western Daily (four), Tamworth Northern Daily Leader (three), The Land (one), and the SMH at least once. And maybe other papers as well.

Some estimated the cost of the ads to be more than $300,000. Money that could have been spent on animal welfare and saving greyhound lives. But for the dog racing business, it’s never about the dogs, only the profits.

The image at right shows the full-page ad in the Illawarra Mercury on 9 July, the day that Macaulay resigned. Images below are actual screen shots of each full-page ad.