Tuesday, 31 October 2023

 Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:27): (547) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Racing, and the action that I seek is for the Labor government to end the Melbourne Cup. The Melbourne Cup’s days should be numbered. The people of Victoria have begun turning away from this celebration of animal cruelty and gambling. Animal welfare advocates and anti-gambling advocates have tirelessly fought for years with campaigns like the Nup to the Cup campaign to try and get the public and our state government to see that the racing industry is awful and predatory. Why, I ask, is an animal-abusing gambling event a public holiday? Why is that considered normal? The Melbourne Cup’s days should be numbered, but it seems like the Labor government can excuse animal cruelty and predatory gambling events wreaking havoc on the lives of Victorians, because they are profitable and give them a lot of benefits and donations. We know – we have heard it here today – that gambling is addictive and dangerous and has no place in our community. Meanwhile cruel practices like whipping, overbreeding and the slaughter of horses continue to be tolerated by the racing industry all for the sake of a bet. To quote Nup to the Cup:

On average, one horse is killed on Australian racetracks every 2.5 days from racing related injuries – and these are just the deaths we learn of. Plenty more happen in training and trials, or when injured horses are taken from the track to be later killed behind the scenes

There is also a significant rise in acute alcohol intoxication, assault, motor vehicle accidents and family violence on Melbourne Cup Day, as reported by police. Yet we have a Minister for Racing, and whoever holds that portfolio will be sure to cater to the needs of the racing industry faster than any horse can run. We have a Labor government that is so whipped by the industry that it will shirk its responsibilities in order to keep the industry happy. It is time for the Labor government to stand up to the racing industry and to end the Melbourne Cup.