A major addition to the Bathurst CBD is set to open in just over a week.
The Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission – created by the NSW Government after its aborted attempt to ban dog racing in the state – will unveil its headquarters in the Bathurst Post Office building on Monday, April 23.
Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said the headquarters will open with about 25 to 30 employees, which is set to grow to about 60 people over time.
“This is another good story about decentralisation - moving jobs out from the city to the bush,” he said.
“It’s great that Bathurst is going to be the recipient of the establishment of the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission.”
The announcement that Bathurst had been chosen to host the commission’s headquarters was made in November last year.
Chief commissioner Alan Brown and commissioners Clare Petre and John Keniry were appointed late last year and Judy Lind, a senior executive of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA), was announced as the commission’s Chief executive officer in January.
Mr Toole said the commission was going through the process at the moment of appointing people to regional officer positions to be based around the state.
The commission – which the NSW Government says will promote and protect the welfare of greyhounds, safeguard the integrity of greyhound racing and betting and maintain public confidence in the greyhound racing industry – will work out of leased office space in the post office building in Howick Street.
It will take over the welfare and regulatory functions from Greyhound Racing NSW on July 1.
The commission has been visiting clubs across NSW this month to discuss its role and the reforms to the industry.
The commission will visit Richmond, Dapto, Goulburn and WaggaWagga next week and will hear from Bathurst greyhound racing participants on Tuesday, April 24.
* this article originally appeared in the Western Advocate
