The Racing Industry (Closure of Greyhound Racing Industry) Amendment Bill was passed by Parliament on 1 April 2026, enacting statutory amendments that remove the legal authorisation for commercial greyhound racing under the Racing Industry Act 2020 from 1 August 2026. Commercial greyhound racing continues to operate during the transition period to 31 July 2026. The Racing Industry (Unlawful Destruction of Specified Greyhounds) Amendment Bill, enacted in 2024, restricts the killing of racing-registered greyhounds during the wind-down to euthanasia by a veterinarian for specified reasons, limiting depopulation of racing dogs over the 20-month transition. The Transition Agency, funded by TAB NZ, has been established to coordinate the orderly closure of NZGR and racing clubs, manage the transition of approximately 2,900 racing greyhounds into rehoming pathways, and support industry participants. The SPCA publicly confirmed support for the legislation and participated in Parliamentary submissions. The Primary Production Committee recommended passage of the bill in March 2026.

Anticipated Effects

If implemented as enacted, all commercial greyhound racing events in New Zealand will cease after 31 July 2026, with no further commercial meetings permitted under the Racing Industry Act framework from 1 August 2026; the number of dogs used in commercial greyhound racing within the statutory framework will reduce to zero from that date.

If the Transition Agency operates as established, approximately 2,900 racing greyhounds will be redirected into rehoming pathways via animal welfare and rehoming organisations over the wind-down period; the proportion successfully rehomed versus dogs with other outcomes is not established in available sources.

If judicial review proceedings (NZHC 2665) challenging the original Cabinet decision produce a court order affecting the closure timeline or the legislation’s operation, the operative date of 1 August 2026 could be affected; no such order has been documented in available sources as of April 2026.

Significance Rationale

Assigned Reduces Exploitation (impact direction) because the legislation removes the legal basis for commercial greyhound racing in New Zealand from 1 August 2026, eliminating the exploitation system for dogs within the commercial NZGR framework. If implemented as enacted, the cessation of all commercial race meetings from 1 August 2026 reduces the number of dogs used in commercial greyhound racing in New Zealand to zero within the statutory framework. Approximately 2,900 racing greyhounds are subject to transition and rehoming arrangements.

Assigned Alters Legal Basis (impact type) because the primary mechanism is the statutory removal of greyhound racing as a recognised racing code under the Racing Industry Act 2020 — the legislation directly changes what is legally permissible by eliminating the authorisation for commercial greyhound racing nationwide. The companion instrument restricting the destruction of racing-registered greyhounds during wind-down also directly alters the legal basis for greyhound management during the transition period.

Assigned High significance because the legislation eliminates the entire commercial greyhound racing system in New Zealand — all licensed tracks, all racing under the NZGR framework, and the exploitation of approximately 2,900 racing greyhounds within the statutory commercial system. This constitutes complete elimination of a defined exploitation system within its jurisdiction, assessed relative to the commercial greyhound racing system directly affected.

The scale change is structural within its scope: commercial greyhound racing in New Zealand is eliminated as of 1 August 2026 under this enacted legislation, pending the outcome of judicial review proceedings (NZHC 2665) and full implementation. The greyhound breeding sector outside the commercial racing framework continues and is not regulated by this instrument.