Page 3831 - Week 13 - Thursday, 18 October 1990
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unlikely to significantly affect future revenue from X-rated videos - future revenue based on a wholesale basis value of production.
I can only say that the Commissioner for ACT Revenue is continuing and will continue to conduct audits of licensees' returns to ensure that the industry is meeting its valid tax commitments. I must point out that there is no suggestion from any quarter anywhere that the industry is not doing just that now. It is meeting its legal tax commitments. Whether they are the moral tax commitments and whether we as a government are receiving what we anticipated from that source is another matter. Like any other industry, it took opportunities which were provided to it, because, of course, in conjunction with our X-rated video franchise fee, this Government took the unprecedented step of doing what people like you and the vast majority of the community wanted - that is, the step of removing X-rated video outlets from the suburbs and putting them into areas of the city which were quite specific.
You might like to say that the income being received by the Government as a result of the X-rated video franchise fee is minimal. It should be pointed out that, in conjunction with the other Bill in relation to X-rated videos, we have removed X-rated videos from the suburbs and from access by minors. We have removed them from the sight of various normal citizens throughout the town, who were quite offended when they went into a video shop and saw various suggestive titles, et cetera, on display - often contrary to the regulations which were applied at the time. Those situations cannot exist and I defy you to go to any video outlet in this city today - apart from the designated areas of Mitchell, Fyshwick and Hume - and find X-rated videos publicly available for sale, much to the distress of a large proportion of the population.
All in all, the Government is highly satisfied with the result of its twin legislation, both to tax X-rated videos and to control them. The Government is very satisfied with it because it is working. This is something which, of course, was not envisaged under the previous Government which for a lousy $12,000 would take no step whatsoever to ban these products from the suburbs.
MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, I request that any further questions be placed on the notice paper.
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