Page 2301 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 August 2022
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In many cases, it is going to make their lives worse. But I recognise that this is a significant cultural shift in how we deal with illicit drugs and for some it will feel very confronting. So it is a good debate to have; it is a debate that we will have over time and in a measured and considered way. I am very conscious that every MLA should have the opportunity to have their say on this bill, preferably in the in-principle stage, of course, but there is the opportunity to speak on the government amendments. So I commend the bill in principle. I look forward to the resumption of the debate on the bill in principle and, subsequently, on the government amendments in future sitting weeks.
Debate (on motion by Mr Gentleman) adjourned to the next sitting.
Gaming—point of consumption tax
MR PARTON (Brindabella) (4.34): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes:
(a) a point of consumption tax (POCT) is imposed on online gambling in all Australian jurisdictions;
(b) the POCT generated $17 million in the last financial year in the ACT;
(c) the POCT rate in the ACT was recently retrospectively increased from 15 percent to 20 percent on 1 July which should increase the revenue to government to approximately $23 million;
(d) all Australian states return a portion of POCT to racing codes in their jurisdiction, with legislation proposed by the Queensland Labor Government set to return 80 percent of revenue to the racing industry which equates to approximately $80 million per year;
(e) Tasmania also returns 80 percent of POCT to racing codes;
(f) racing clubs in Canberra will receive $7.5 million each year over the next five years under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the ACT Government;
(g) the ACT is now the highest taxing jurisdiction of racing in Australia but returns the least back to the racing codes;
(h) thoroughbred racing in Canberra contributes $55 million per year to the ACT economy and supports more than 400 full-time jobs; and
(i) the ACT Government collected $69 million in total gambling taxes in 2020-21 and is forecast to collect more than $77 million in 2024-25; and
(2) calls on the Government to:
(a) return a reasonable portion of POCT revenue to racing codes still legal in the ACT; and
(b) continue supporting Canberra’s racing clubs beyond the current MOU.
I grew up in real Australia—out in the sticks, in the wheat belt of Western Australia. I grew up around farms and bonfires and sheep dogs and horseracing. As a kid, I spent many an hour helping out old Jerry Randle, who always stabled a couple of
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