Release date: 06/07/22

The Malinauskas Government has supported a bill to legislatively end jumps racing in South Australia.

South Australia is now the second state to ban the sport through legislation after New South Wales. Victoria is the only jurisdiction in Australia that now holds jumps racing events.

While the SA racing industry itself has ceased programming jumps events, the new law will give certainty to the industry and the public that jumps racing in SA is over.

While jumps races were once an intrinsic part of the racing industry, it has fallen out of favour with the public who find the number of falls and deaths unacceptable.

The RSPCA has consistently raised animal welfare concerns with the government including evidence that in the three months to June this year in Victoria:

  • 4% of jumps horses fell, compared to no non-jumps racing horses.
  • 12% of jumps horses were injured, compared to 4% of non-jumps horses.
  • Over the 12 races held, 12 horses fell.

The bill does not prohibit South Australian trainers training jumps horses to race interstate.  Nor does the bill does affect show-jumping, equestrian events or advertising interstate jumps racing events.

The Malinauskas Government recognises Greens MLC Tammy Franks longstanding advocacy on this issue, and we commend her for introducing the Animal Welfare (Jumps Racing) Amendment Bill to the parliament.


Quotes

Attributable to Minister for Climate, Environment and Water Susan Close

The community and the racing industry gave up on jumps racing some time ago and the parliament is reflecting this change in attitudes.

Banning the sport through legislation gives certainty to the racing industry.  

It will enable the rest of the industry to be clearly distinguished from the accidents associated with jumps in the public mind.