1131. Hon ALISON XAMON to the minister representing the Minister for Racing and Gaming:
I refer to the testing of dogs for prohibited substances in the greyhound racing industry.
(1) Is the minister aware that a greyhound tested positive to amphetamines after winning its race earlier this year?
(2) If a dog tests positive for an illicit substance, are Racing and Wagering Western Australia’s officers compelled to notify the police?
(3) If yes to (1), at what stage of the investigation are the results of the test disclosed to the police—when the substance is detected or after the stewards’ inquiry has been completed?
(4) If no to (2), why are the police not notified?
(5) What percentage of greyhounds are tested for prohibited substances at a racing event?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The following information has been provided to me by the Minister for Racing and Gaming.
(1) Yes.
(2) No.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) The detection of a prohibited substance in a racing animal is not considered a criminal offence and, therefore, no police resources are dedicated to racing matters. Jurisdiction is vested in the relevant rules of racing as per section 45 of the Racing and Wagering Western Australia Act 2003.
(5) It was 35 per cent of all winners, totalling 1 229 actual swabs last year, with 99.5 per cent of all samples being free of any prohibited substances.