Page 6218 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991
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One of the points that I would like to make from my time on that committee is this: I would like to rebut this supposed belief that the casino will be an enormous tourist grab for the Territory. In some ways Dr Kinloch, I think, shares my views. The average patronage of the casino almost invariably will come from the ACT and surrounding region. It has been shown that casinos generally have a usage rate approximating something like 80 per cent to even 85 per cent local. Undoubtedly, there will be people who will come to the Territory to utilise the interim casino and, of course, the final casino from interstate and from outlying regions who would never have come here except for that purpose.
That will have a big effect on the number of beds that will be occupied by prospective gamblers and people who come to see shows, et cetera, that will be held at the casino, particularly in that three-year period. It will probably be a lot longer, if our experience of establishing a casino is anything to go by. There is talk about a casino or two casinos being established in Sydney within the next three years; but I think people are a little bit optimistic, given what we have seen. It will probably be something like seven to 10 years.
Nevertheless, until such time as casinos are established in Sydney people will, I think, take the short drive down from the Sydney region to the ACT for a day, enjoying the sights and perhaps having a real flutter at the tables of the casino when it is established. But let me make that point perfectly clear; the usage of the casino will be in the order of 80 per cent to 85 per cent local.
I think this explains some of the causes of concern that Dr Kinloch has, and we should recognise that. Do not let us fool ourselves that it is going to be totally occupied by people from outside the Territory who are just going to come in, leave their money and go home and not leave any problems here for us to deal with. What will happen is that the gambling dollar that is spent in the ACT will expand.
Evidence has shown that, the more outlets there are for gambling, the more money there is gambled. It is not like a constant pie of one size. I do not believe that money will be diverted from the racing industry, for example, into the casino, or that money will be diverted from the clubs into the casino.
I think, frankly, that you will find that this will increase the gambling dollar generally throughout the Territory. Remarkably enough, it is almost symbiotic. You will find that there will be further and increased gambling, in my view, at the licensed clubs, rather than the reverse. I think the clubs have come to that conclusion; that they will not be hurt by the casino. In my view, gambling generally in the ACT will increase and you will find that club revenues will increase in terms of
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