Page 1915 - Week 06 - Thursday, 2 May 1991
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QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Casino Project
MS FOLLETT: My question is to the Chief Minister, and it relates to his statement yesterday about the casino project in the ACT. Mr Kaine, how will the Government ensure that an interim casino licensee will subsequently construct a permanent casino?
MR KAINE: It will ensure that very simply and very easily, Mr Speaker. What the Government is looking for, as part of any licence that will be issued for a casino, is a specific proposal for a long-term commitment to a significant construction program. Given that starting from the end of this year it will take between one and two years, on any reasonable basis, to get a construction project completed, we believe that it would be unwise to allow New South Wales and Victoria or anybody else to get the lead on us in terms of the casino market. So, what we would propose is that whoever is the successful tenderer for the specific contract of construction into which a long-term casino would be incorporated would be permitted, as part of the contract, to operate in some other premises on an interim basis.
I was interested to note that, according to ABC radio, that would be in an existing hotel. There is no such commitment on the Government's part. We would be interested in any reasonable proposition that a future potential contractor for such a project is likely to put forward; but it would certainly be a contractual obligation that an interim licence would be issued to the ultimate licensee, and very specific contractual conditions would apply to that.
MS FOLLETT: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Mr Kaine, given the timeframe that you are looking at - you said that it would take one to two years for an effective construction program; but you have also said that we would be going in advance of New South Wales or Victoria on the casino: How can you claim that you will not, in effect, be giving a casino licence to an existing property owner?
MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, the Government is not making any commitment as to who will get the licence. That will be a matter for decision by the people who will be evaluating any proposals put forward.
Ms Follett: They could not build a new one by the end of the year.
MR KAINE: I do not understand your question. There will be a process, similar to the one that you set in train, where proposals will be made. Those proposals will be evaluated, and out of the process will come a successful proposal which the Government will enter into a contract to
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