Mr ..

With respect, the last time I wrote to you, part of your advice was to read the Strategic Plan. Well, I have read most of it and I suggest to you that it is a framework or skeleton of what you are preparing to do. However, it doesn't talk or write to me as it has no voice. It provides no intricate details of the plan. You are the voice for it. I would appreciate if you could answer some of the questions that the Strategic Plan cannot do, as well as other questions that are not necessarily specific to the Plan..

Wauchope has been waiting 18 months to receive TAB status. Why the delay? There was another abandoned meeting there on Saturday because GRNSW doesn't understand the climate up here on the MNC. The worst time to have race meetings in summer is in the afternoon or night due to the heat, humidity and storm activity that builds throughout the day. Meetings should be held in the morning. Why hasn't GRNSW programmed better to accommodate participants in this matter? Each of the tracks has lost at least one meeting this Summer.

I was recently advised that The Gardens has allegedly, approximately ........ in the bank. Since GRNSW (participants) is the owner, are we as participants receiving a reasonable rental income from it?

How many legal officers do we have? If we have more than one, why do we have so many? Why are we still engaging legal consultants if we have our own?

Was the Deputy CEO's position ever advertised? If so, please provide details of the Ad for it when Mr Dayle Brown `won' the position. Was it advertised since? Please provide details.

The Masters Calendar has not been updated. However, the monthly calendar has. Are you going to update the Masters Calendar for this year as it was stopped in December?

Please point me in the right direction about GAP details and how many greyhounds are being re-homed each year in NSW. Have you provided any details in any recent media release?

Do you plan to produce a half-yearly report so that the participants and other stakeholders can see how we are travelling?

Have you, Mr Iemma and others on the Board been attending meetings?

I heard that the big night at Wenty Park recently was as interesting and exciting as watching paint dry. What is happening with Wenty Park?

Regards,
Mark Donohue
(concerned participant)

Do you firmly believe you will get a response?

Another participant sent his second one with similar questions, after receiving a reply to his first one. His second one was about spending only one third of $67 million on prize money with the other two thirds having been spent on administration (2017/2018). The participant claimed GRNSW is returning the lowest in prize money in AUS on pro-rata basis, with VIC returning $40 million as a comparison.

Yes, they have responded but they may not answer your questions 100%.

the current mob are trying to run the greyhound industry into the ground imo.

the negatives atm r outweighing the positives bigtime. And is getting worse each day.

Get with it guys......

What why which how?

This is insulting.

Ironically, its in Tooles electorate, but not big enough to get involved. Does he care? GRNSW just doesnt like providing many details. It would be a great PR exercise if it did.

Your last sentence about the SFF Party having a meeting there has nothing to do with the state of the track and was purely a coincidence. The track was not up to a standard for racing.

I understand what responsibility for all track maintenance means, though I must admit considering many of the problems at tracks seem to have been caused by GRNSW, I am sceptical about their ability to be able to fix the problem.

I am not certain what they mean by day-to-day management of the tracks. Exactly what activities does that entail?

I am also confused as to how GRNSW would have been able to get work done on the track quicker last week. If, as GRNSW suggests, they couldn't access the track because of agreements the Trust had, how would GRNSW have responsibility for track maintenance and day-to-day management have any effect on what the Trust does?

As usual I am left even more confused after reading a GRNSW press release.

Noel very good call you are spot on, Baird brain and noddy Grant were both incompetent and just look at the jobs they end up with we need to march on parliament house and stir the crap out of them.
Well said Noel people need to remember how we won the last WAR!

You and others have correctly identified shortcomings in the system. Action is proposed ... but to do what?

Reversing the ban is not a good example. That was a simple, well justified effort to reverse a single decision. But what we are talking about now is the whole shebang - a multi-faceted industry being messed up.

In that context, an alternative is needed. There is little value in calling for a game of musical chairs, whether at political or operational levels. That would be the well-known practice of keeping on doing the same thing in the hope that you will get a different result. It won't help.

A story has to be put together. The problems and failures have to be analysed and publicised. Other organisational structures have to be examined and one promoted. And the industry has to speak with one voice, preferably not GBOTA's.

Only then is it worthwhile marching down Macquarie St.

Whatever that solution is, it has to be independent of government and therefore commercially oriented. Calling for "more dog men on the board" is not the way to go. We have been there and done that. We need professional management - people who can take charge and resist the political pressures to discriminate against greyhound racing because of the Premier's or the Minister's whims. People who are dedicated to producing outcomes, not processes.

The government does not control tennis, cricket or the football codes so why should it control racing? Some oversight of betting and taxes is one thing, but trying to micro-manage an industry is way outside its skill set.

I was further told awhile ago that some curators werent or havent been listening to GRNSW (Bill Wilson) and maybe last weeks incident was the straw that broke the camels back. Of course this information is third-hand hearsay and my twist on things.

I dont think GBOTA is strong enough to take on GRNSW.

An early call to abandon WP last Saturday shouldve been made.