Dear Diary: ministers hiding the business of government

Freedom of Information advocates are appalled at the government's non-disclosure of diary records. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

When NSW Premier Mike Baird announced he was shutting down greyhound racing off the back of animal cruelty revelations in 2016, he could hardly have been more absolute.

"It is horrific. It is damning and it leaves the government with no real choice but to take the action we have," he said.