To punish the many good owners, trainers and breeders for the actions of a few reeks of a Government no longer in touch with the community.  

Only three National MPs joined with Labor to vote against the ban.

It was not enough to stop the Baird and Grant Government from passing sentence on this way of life in the dead of night.

The greyhound ban was done with no consultation, with no compensation or assistance.

It was another act by an out-of-touch Government.

What will be next?

I AM dismayed with the comments of Lifeline Australia’s CEO Pete Shmigel (Western Advocate, August 20, p9) where he states in relation to the greyhound racing ban that “there is no evidence to suggest there is a direct link to suicidality”.

As a moderator on a greyhound website set up since the greyhound ban, suicide is mentioned all too often – three times on one particular day last week.

I personally contacted Lifeline after listening to a few participants and was working towards having them follow up.   

Mr Shmigel: there are hundreds, maybe thousands, who will be unable to pay their mortgages on purpose-built facilities and recoup their investment on pups and breeding stock.

Their prizemoney accounted for these debts in the past and to make it worse, the value of their properties and stock has halved since the ban was announced.

There are families who will break up, some trainers forced to move interstate with wives and children not wanting to leave jobs, schools and friends.

There is a very significant number of older people whose only joy in life is their dogs.

There are trainers with no other qualifications who won’t be able to find work.

Everyone is very deeply depressed.

A similar ill-thought-out ban resulted in suicides in the past following the Federal Government’s live stock ban.

Please Google “live stock ban suicides” and you will read comments from former prime minister Tony Abbott and Senators Nigel Scullion and Ian MacDonald. 

You say Lifeline is working with Mike Baird to assist, without realising that the last place greyhound participants will go to for help is Mike Baird or his representatives.

Mr Shmigel, I recognise that it is difficult for city people to understand the needs of country folk, but your local office got it right in the first place. Please do not undo the good work they have done.

SOMEONE eventually has to pay the price for our cheap milk.

Congratulations to the ABC and its Four Corners program for exposing how a major Australian "co-operative" is now squeezing money back from dairy farmers, in an attempt to retreat from optimistic but unrealistic milk prices.

But shouldn't Australian supermarket chains also take responsibility, with their successful "down, down" price pitch to consumers?

And did anybody bother to check for independent advice from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, or has this agency also been undermined by efficiency dividends and governments' appetite for spin?

It's to be hoped consumers will send a practical message of support to struggling dairy farmers by buying from ethical suppliers, and by cutting the cut-price brands.