Page 927 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 26 July 1989
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prior to self-government. Mr Bottom was unable to appear, but advised that he had no further opinion to express beyond what he had conveyed to the previous inquiry. His conclusions to that inquiry were that casinos are a very attractive area for organised crime, that organised crime would attempt to infiltrate an ACT casino, and that the application of strict controls can avoid organised crime involvement in an environment such as Canberra where a situation of crime and corruption is not already established.
The committee, in summary, did not receive any conclusive evidence of the involvement of organised crime in Australian casinos. I have to caution that this does not mean that any of us accept that organised crime can never infiltrate a casino. Clearly, that possibility exists and it is only through watertight legislation and fiercely independent statutory watchdogs that this possibility can be excluded. This is, of course, a perfect situation, but the committee believes that, on the basis of the ACT's existing Casino Control Ordinance, a very good start has been made at achieving this goal.
The committee was also satisfied that the Adelaide and Hobart experience would be repeated in Canberra in respect of street crime; that is, that no special problems will develop providing appropriate police resources are made available. The committee found that the casino has the potential to provide an important catalyst to tourism in the ACT. The committee accepts that the casino market is now a crowded one, but believes that the existence of a casino in Canberra would add a significant additional dimension to the city's tourism potential. Canberra's image at present is somewhat monochromatic; that is, it is typified by an image of public buildings, institutions and monuments rather than the city of interest, colour and vitality which we all know it to be.
Like it or not, gambling is a significant pastime for a great many Australians. It is arrogant of us to exclude this dimension from any array of attractions which we might present to the visitor to Canberra. It is interesting to note that one witness before the committee mentioned that an opinion poll outside the ACT showed that 98 per cent of Australians were unaware that the ACT had poker machines. This may indicate that few outsiders see Canberra as a place where, among other things, the more "lowbrow" pastimes might be enjoyed.
Mr Speaker, the question of the community facilities which have been frequently linked to the development of section 19 was an issue of great importance to the committee. The committee was strongly of the view that the provision of these facilities is central to the entire proposal and cannot readily be separated. That is not to say that these facilities, including a lyric theatre and perhaps a playhouse and/or library, are the only benefits a casino might bring, but they are, in the first place, readily
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