The industry has filed proceedings in the NSW Supreme Court, seeking a declaration that the report used to justify the government’s decision is invalid and of no legal effect.

Gunnedah Greyhound Racing Club president Geoff Rose said the industry had a strong case.

“There were 80 recommendation made in that report – they’ve taken the first one and given no consideration to the other 79,” Mr Rose said.

“There is no denying there are bad apples in the sport, but there is not a sport in the world that doesn’t have bad apples. You don’t punish the majority because of the actions of a minority.”

Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) chief executive Brenton Scott said the report had a number of “widely identified” errors. 

Mr Scott said the industry took issue with the government’s reliance on the concept of a “social licence to operate”.

“We believe it is inappropriate and unreasonable, given that it has been described, amongst other things, as difficult if not impossible to measure,” Mr Scott said.

“The idea that a government can ban a perfectly lawful racing industry, which operates in every state in Australia and in overseas countries with legal systems the same as Australia’s, on the basis that it has lost some form of ‘intangible and unwritten’ social licence would be a very worrying development to many in the community.

“This is particularly so when there are no known legal criteria for the issuing and continuation of a ‘social licence’ and where respected authors have described it as an ‘intangible construct’.”

Mr Rose, who is also the GBOTA chairman, said the industry stood united in the challenge.

“This court case is the hope of industry,” he said. 

“We’ve got to win this for the good people in the industry, and all the people not directly involved in the industry but rely on it for their livelihood.

”Through the GBOTA we employ 2000 people. All up it would 15,000 people directly employed and another 20,000 people indirectly.”

Mr Rose said the latest figures from 2015 showed the greyhound racing industry contributed $6.9 million every year to both Gunnedah and Tamworth.