Stop the 125 greyhound breeding and training facility

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Dear Ipswich City Council,

Objection re: 2129/2023/MCU - 125 dog greyhound training and breeding facility

Thank you for this opportunity to present a personal submission regarding the proposed greyhound training and breeding facility.
In short, I strongly object to the application. The reasons for my objection are particularised below.

1. Proposal does not align with community values

Commercial greyhound racing is an industry in decline and now exists in only seven countries around the world: Australia, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam. The industry is in decline in most of these countries.

Government support in Australia continues to prop up the industry which relies on gambling revenue. If it wasn’t for the government pouring millions of dollars back into the industry, it’s quite likely the industry would be in decline here too. The recent decision by the Queensland government to deliver 80% of revenue from the Point of Consumption Tax back into the industry is the latest example of the huge government support the industry receives.

In 2022, the Queensland government paved the way for a publicly funded $40m greyhound track to be built in Purga, bypassing the Ipswich City Council and ignoring the overwhelming number of public objections to the development. In the public consultation period, over 10,000 objections were received for the development, with around 3,000 of these coming from Ipswich residents.

Greyhound Racing has lost its social licence due to repeated animal welfare failures, along with the impact of gambling on the community. Australia is the world leader in per capita gambling losses, eclipsing second place by a significant margin. 2013 data gives the annual gambling losses per capita at US$866 per year. In 2017 it was reported as even higher at US$958 per capita per year. The social harms are dramatic and include crime, psychological distress, divorce, domestic violence and suicide. These social harms are disproportionately borne by those who are lower income or indigenous.
Compared to Brisbane LGA, which has a SEIFA (Socio-Economic Indexes For Areas) community disadvantage score of 1048, Ipswich has a much lower community disadvantage score of only 961. This highlights that the City of Ipswich actually has a much higher level of socioeconomic disadvantage. This itself raises the potential that the community within Ipswich may be at increased risk of gambling harm.

Ipswich shows evidence of being a jurisdiction with a higher average metered win (amount of money lost by players) for its Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs). During December 2021, Ipswich had the eighth-highest average metered win for EGMs of all Queensland LGAs (Logan was the highest). This may suggest that the City is already at increased risk of gambling harm.

Ipswich City Council’s Community Engagement Policy states:
“Ipswich City Council is committed to meaningful engagement with the community on issues affecting the city and local issues that significantly impact the community. Public participation and engagement is the foundation of good decision-making and is mutually beneficial to the community and council.

Council needs to seriously consider if supporting the expansion of greyhound racing in the area is in the best interests of the local community.

2. Impact on community amenity

The impact that 125 dogs living just a few hundred meters from residential homes will have on the neighbouring residents cannot be understated. The applicant has commissioned noise impact reports that don’t address the full scale of the development, assuming that the ‘worst case scenario’ at night will be 18 dogs barking in the kennels, only a fraction of the total number of dogs proposed to be living at the property, and 58 dogs barking simultaneously during the day.

Kennelled dogs, including greyhounds, often bark for attention, to communicate with one another, at meal times or when they see a person walking past. Often, when one dog starts barking, many others will join in, especially at meal times. This is normal behaviour, and how dogs communicate with one another.

Excessive barking is not normal behaviour, however, it’s very common in dogs who live in a kennel environment. These environments fail to meet the needs of many dogs, who in turn suffer from boredom, frustration, anxiety, fear and frustration. Excessive barking becomes a coping mechanism for these dogs.

As well as failing to adequately address the potential noise impacts, the applicant has failed to address how they will prevent or treat excessive barking in the kennels. Furthermore, they have concluded that neither mitigation measures nor soundproofing are required. I don’t feel that the applicant has met the following outcomes of the Ipswich City Planning Scheme Character Areas – Part 10, Division 5, Rural B, namely:

- minimise noise and visual impact on the surrounding locality;
- noise, dust and odour generation and the levels which may be acceptable above normal or current background levels;

The approval of this development will have a major impact on the nearby residents, and if the applicant fails to identify or address this, the development must be rejected.

3. Impact on flora and fauna

This development is proposed in extremely close proximity to core koala habitat - environments that are quickly being destroyed in the Ipswich area. Habitat destruction is accelerating the decline of local koala populations, and last February, koalas were finally declared endangered by the Federal government - a change that reflects the failure of federal, state and local governments to properly protect the species over recent years.

Habitat loss over the last 20 years has been a key factor in the decline of koala populations. Sadly, we see state governments and councils rubber stamp developments that impact koala habitat on a regular basis. While some developments seem small when looked at individually when compared to total habitat, all of this clearing and disruption leads to ‘death by 1000 cuts’ for the koala. Given the endangered status of koalas, the government should refuse any new developments that impact koala habitat.

Whilst this development does not propose the clearing of koala habitat trees, it does place a huge number of predators within extremely close proximity to their habitat. Wildlife is likely to be impacted by the presence of 100+ dogs on site.

Studies show that koalas have been found to become hypersensitive to anthropogenic noise. Prey species, including koalas, are very good at hiding visible signs of stress. Significant and permanent changes to their natural environment can result in chronic stress that can negatively affect the animals’ reproduction and immune system. Urban fringe zones such as this location can be particularly stressful for koalas due to stressors such as noise, cars, dogs, and other threats.

4. Approval will set a concerning precedent

Approving this development may set a precedent for more, similar developments to move into the area, especially with the upcoming opening of the Greater Brisbane Greyhound Centre in Purga. The state government has ignored the community objection to greyhound racing in the area, however, the Council has an obligation to consult with and act on community interest by rejecting this development and any other similar developments.

Thank you for reading and considering my objection to the greyhound breeding and training facility, ref 2129/2023/MCU. For the reasons outlined above, I request that Council, as consent authority, refuse the application.

Sincerely,

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Stop the 125 greyhound breeding and training facility

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