Rob Stokes Refuses to Commit to Future of Greyhound Racing at Wentworth Park

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NSW Labor is calling for the Government to reveal its plans for the future of greyhound racing at Wentworth Park, after the Minister for Planning and Better Public Spaces Rob Stokes refused to commit to keeping the track when the lease expires.

“This is a very important question for the future of Sydney and of NSW” Mr Stokes told the Parliament during Question Time.

It comes after Sydney City Council announced plans to see the Wentworth Park grounds turned into parkland.

But the Minister did not commit to converting Wentworth Park to parkland, he instead said this this goes “directly to the sorts of issues that we want the new Greater Sydney Parklands Agency to be looking at.”

His comments blindsided Nationals MPs and reignited tensions within the Coalition about the greyhound racing industry.

Sitting behind Minister Stokes during question time was the Minister for Racing Paul Toole, whose discomfort was obvious.

Mr Toole voted to support former Liberal Premier Mike Baird’s shutdown of the industry in 2016 but backflipped months later.

Labor’s Spokesperson for Greyhound Racing Clayton Barr said the Government should reveal its plans for the site.

“Community stakeholders want to know what’s happening at Wentworth Park. They deserve more than pathetic infighting in Gladys Berejiklian’s Cabinet,” Mr Barr said.

“Minister Stokes gave a rambling response that gave no indication that racing would continue and indicated that it would be up to the community to decide.

“I’m concerned about the future of Sydney’s greyhound racing home. The Government must come clean about where it stands on this issue.”

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