As legislation to ban greyhound racing makes its way through NSW Parliament, opposition is growing by the day.

Plans are in place for greyhound racing to be banned in New South Wales from July 1 next year, ending what Premier Mike Baird calls the “widespread and systemic mistreatment of animals”.

The bill to ban it passed through the Upper House last week and should be before the Legislative Assembly next Tuesday.

Everyone from celebrities and sports stars to politicians and punters have had their say - some arguing the ban is too harsh while others want it to go much further.

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce joined the fray earlier this week, saying he did not support the ban and urging the government to find a “better alternative”.

“I don’t think you can solve problems by banning things. You should be able to manage the problem,” he said.

“I acknowledge that it is state government business but I am trying to work out how the federal government could intervene in this issue.

“I am sure we would be happy to help them with regulating the industry, I fought tooth and nail against the ban on the live cattle trade so I certainly am not going to support a ban on another industry.”

Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said Joyce should “butt out”.

“If Barnaby is going to enter the debate on greyhounds, he should take the time to read the Special Commission of Inquiry report and the previous two NSW Parliamentary Inquiry reports into the greyhound industry,” he said.

“This would help Barnaby understand the difficult situation confronting the government.”

New Zealand film star Sam Neill and Tasmanian cricketer Ricky Ponting want the forced shutdown reversed.

“It’s sad, it’s devastating for the industry,” Ponting told reporters for The Daily Telegraph.

“I’m sure it’s going to be devastating for NSW racing in general but that decision has been made and we will see how long it lasts for I guess.

“For a greyhound enthusiast, a greyhound lover, it’s sad for me to see part of the industry shutdown.

“It just seemed like it was a little bit sudden just to shut it down rather than to get out there and fix the problems.”

Actor Sam Neill used a recent short film festival press conference to grandstand about the ban too.

“I really think that just shutting down the dogs is a crime. It's a very valuable part of working class culture,” he said.

“Instead of cleaning up the dogs... they're killing the dogs.”

Two men have even been arrested after they threatened to kill Deputy Premier Troy Grant and his family over the greyhound racing ban.

The pair are reportedly members of the greyhound industry.

There is a lot of concern for the roughly 6,000 people who work in the dog racing industry, but the Greyhounds Transition Taskforce says financial assistance will be available.

John Keniry, the head of the taskforce in charge of shutting down the industry (which made a major blunder this week), is trying to downplay the fears about the repercussions of the ban.

“I have had many conversations with people working directly or indirectly in the greyhound industry since I was appointed by the Government last month to guide the industry to a humane and orderly closure,” Dr Keniry said.

“One of the many things I'm hearing is that financial assistance must form part of the transition package I am developing.

“I can reassure those working in the greyhound industry that the Government has committed to providing financial assistance to transition dogs and people out of the greyhound industry.

“The transition package will also include training programs, business advice, linkages with other Government and non-Government support services.

“Later this month I will be visiting several regional centres across NSW to hear first-hand the issues people are facing due to the closure on 1 July, 2017 to ensure as many views as possible form part of my report to Government.”

Meanwhile, the Greens want the ban to be repeated across Australia.

Greens animal welfare spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon says the abuse is not limited to one state.

“The world trend is away from Greyhound racing, it has been known for a long time that it is very cruel and what we saw in the 4 Corners report showed a much greater level of cruelty than we have even realised,” Senator Rhiannon told alternative press City Hub.

The ACT announced it would ban greyhound racing too, after the NSW decision made supporting the ACT industry unfeasible.

But the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club says the ACT and NSW should follow the Tasmanian industry's lead. 

Tasmanian industry members are going to “work towards” rehoming greyhounds in line with the RSPCA's euthanasia policy.

That means every healthy racing greyhound could be rehomed “unless prevented by unavoidable health, behavioural or legislative reasons”.

Tasracing, the industry's governing body, says it will have the policy in place by July 2019.