Yesterday Crikey‘s Bernard Keane reported that a pro-greyhound racing group had threatened participants in the McHugh Inquiry, where whistleblowers had made submissions and given evidence about the cruelty of the greyhound industry. National Greyhound Racing United posted on its Facebook page on Monday, in anticipation of Mike Baird’s back-down on the greyhound racing ban: “We will enjoy this victory, then we will turn our attention to those that made submissions in the McHugh report, their crime will not go unpunished.”
It seems threats are the main form of communication for the NGRU. Yesterday the group’s Twitter account sent this tweet to Keane, writing: “All class this bloke” with an emoji representation of a gun pointed at a person’s head.
The tweet has since been deleted, but it shows the level to which the debate has sunk.
That’s a criminal act and it should be reported to police, Editor.
Let this stuff go through to the keeper and the next time it’ll be worse, and the next, etc. This needs a follow up please.
2. Using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence:
This is an offence under section 474.17 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cwth) that carries a maximum penalty of 3 years imprisonment.
The essential elements are:
1. that you used a ‘carriage service’, and
2. that the manner of use would be regarded by reasonable persons as ‘menacing’, ‘harassing’ or ‘offensive’.
‘Carriage service’
A ‘carriage service’ is anything that is transmitted through a carriage service provider such as Telstra, Optus, Vodafone etc.
It includes all telephone communications such as calls, voice messages and sms transmissions, all internet transmissions including emails and internet posts and any other communications that occur through a carriage service provider.
‘Menacing’
The Act does not define menacing’.
However, something can be seen as ‘menacing’ if it suggests the presence of oncoming danger.
Telephone calls may be considered ‘menacing’ if they are likely to cause the recipient to apprehend the possibility of an oncoming danger.
Examples might include repeated telephone calls whereby the caller remains silent for long periods of time or makes noises that may scare the recipient.
Seems like cruelty to animals is enjoyed by potential violent pro-racing types …
I do not think the standards ever set a high level of debate.That was borne about by the actions of the NSW Government and the McHugh report and the way it gathered the information and from whom . It was a scam from day one in my opinion and remains so today with the NSW RSPCA being involved on a committee that they are running a campaign against on their face book page to have the ban reinstated. Baird once again does not give the industry a fair go.