Tasmania's greyhound racing industry is grappling with a seismic shift, with Premier Jeremy Rockliff announcing the sport will be phased out by June 2029. His reasoning? It has "lost its social licence" and is in decline. The Premier's decision has ignited a fierce debate that extends well beyond the track. The announcement has brought outrage from dog trainers, cheers from animal welfare groups, and accusations of political gamesmanship from the opposition.

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Greyhound racing has long been under scrutiny. Let's be honest - it has never fully recovered from the 2015 live baiting scandal, in which piglets, possums, and rabbits were used to train dogs. Those revelations in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria shattered public confidence in the industry. While Tasmania's investigation found only "anecdotal evidence" of such practices, the damage to the sport's reputation was real. Premier Jeremy Rockliff has emphasised declining participation and shifting public expectations.

But for those within the sport, this decision feels like an ambush, with

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