· * Floods Relief Fund established to support participants in hardest hit regions
· * In addition, an increase in prizemoney will be allocated for designated meetings transferred from Lismore to Grafton and Casino
· * Full assessment of damage at the Lismore club to be conducted
Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) today announced $100,000 to establish a Floods Relief Fund for its participants in affected regions across the State.
The funding is in addition to financial assistance currently being provided to participants hardest hit by floodwaters in regions such as Lismore and Northern Rivers areas, and including those impacted by floodwaters in properties surrounding the Hawkesbury, Upper Nepean, Nepean and Colo Rivers.
"The floods have been devastating for many families and communities across NSW and our staff have been working closely with industry participants who have been greatly affected," GRNSW Chief Executive Officer Mr Tony Mestrov said.
"Our efforts to date to support people and their greyhounds will now go further with the GRNSW Floods Relief Fund, which will be made available to those who need it most."
Mr Mestrov said that a full assessment of flood damage to the Lismore club's track and facilities will be conducted in coming weeks, and also announced increases in prizemoney for selected meetings relocating from the Lismore track to the Casino and Grafton clubs.
"All scheduled Lismore meetings will now be transferred to Casino and Grafton with selected meetings carrying Wentworth Park Wednesday prizemoney levels," he said.
"I am pleased that the GRNSW board has supported these important steps of flood relief funding and a period of increased prizemoney for designated Lismore meetings that will now be run at Grafton and Casino. These decisions support the livelihoods of our participants.
"Obviously, there needs to be a complete assessment of the damage that has been sustained at the Lismore club, and our track and infrastructure team will now conduct that work and report back to management and the board, but, due to the situation there, this may naturally take some time."
Mr Mestrov said GRNSW was also considering new initiatives aimed at providing further contributions to the Floods Relief Fund, which included talks with industry partners and supporters.
"The floods in some of our heartland training and racing regions have been traumatic for participants and we will continue to do everything we can to support them and their greyhounds," he said.
Mr Mestrov said GRNSW's Chief Operating Officer Wayne Billett and GRNSW's General Manager of Tracks and Infrastructure David Aldred will oversee projects related to the flood relief program, rescheduling of meetings and the Lismore track assessment, with more updates to follow.
GRNSW Flood Relief Fund
