NSW greyhound racing participants have received more than $170,000 in additional travel subsidies to offset inflated fuel prices across the State due to the impact of the conflict in the Middle East over the past two months.
On March 27, Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) was among the first racing jurisdictions to implement an increase in payments to participants, putting an emphasis on those smaller kennels by raising the travel subsidy payment from $60 to $100 for those travelling to meetings with one greyhound.
GRNSW initially made the increases until the end of April, but the organisation’s Board decided to extend the payments until the end of May. With prices now returning to a reasonable and acceptable level, and fuel supplies not impacted as they were, as most jurisdictions have decided, GRNSW will return subsidies to $60 per greyhound.
Over the two-month period, more than 4,250 individual payments of the $100 subsidy were made to participants.
“When the Board unanimously made the decision to increase the travel subsidies back in March, it was a time where all Australians were hurting, particularly at the fuel pump,” Acting Chief Executive Officer Brian Charman said.
“While there was some discussion at the time from participants that just increasing the subsidy for those with one greyhound was not greatly beneficial, I think the results have shown that not to be the case and hopefully we have been able to help in a small way those participants who have struggled financially.
“In total an additional $170,160 was paid out to participants during April and May with just on 24% of trainers at NSW race meeting only taking one greyhound.
“And of course we continued on with the $60 per dog for those taking multiple greyhounds to race meetings.”
The travel subsidy returns to $60 per dog from tonight’s race meetings at Nowra and Maitland.
