00:02Opposing views passionately fighting to be heard as a crucial vote draws near.
00:08There are going to be some winners and there are going to be some losers this week.
00:11We as an industry are nervous but remaining optimistic about the vote coming this week.
00:17After passing the lower house last year, laws to ban greyhound racing are set to be debated in the legislative
00:24council later this week.
00:25Upper house members are being lobbied hard by both sides.
00:29More than 1,000 people have signed an open letter calling for the industry to be shut down.
00:35I was once an owner in a syndicate of a greyhound and I really regret that.
00:42I'm ashamed of it in fact because I hadn't done the research, I didn't really understand what was going on.
00:49To be honest I'm more ashamed of the party that I used to lead not being able to change their
00:54position on this.
00:55This is a moment where politicians need to represent the view of the people and that view is very, very
01:00clear which means that this does need to end in the kindest and fairest way that we can.
01:05In reply, trainers and participants from all three racing codes have joined forces saying the ban will end livelihoods.
01:13If the vote got through and they banned greyhound racing it would be devastating for me and our entire racing
01:22community in the state.
01:23Yesterday the state government announced $4.8 million in compensation if the industry folds.
01:31I'm not going to stand here in front of cameras and put a price on people's livelihoods and lives.
01:37$4.8 million is one of the numbers floating around and that's nowhere even close to where it would need
01:45to be.
01:45In the upper house all party members are expected to vote as their colleagues did in the lower house.
01:51Six out of the eight independents are thought to have the deciding vote.
01:55They'll all be in briefings until at least Wednesday.
01:58And it's now or never really, this is a very important opportunity for Tasmania to move down that path of
02:05kindness and having some of the best animal welfare standards in the country.
02:09Thank you very much.
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