Page 6223 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991
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They oppose casinos, full stop, and I accept that. I am just saying that there is an irony here; that it does facilitate having the casino somewhere other than on section 19. I suppose that if one wanted to be really picky one could say, "Well, you should just oppose those pieces". I think the point that members of the Rally are making is that they simply oppose a casino in the ACT, full stop, and, of course, that is their prerogative and I accept that.
They would be aware that I personally never held that position but was prepared to accept, as part of the policy under which I was elected, that I would oppose a casino on section 19. That is fairly consistent with the stance I have taken on controls in other areas as well. If you look at the work I have done on prostitution, illegal drugs and areas like that, I think you would consider that, generally, my position has been quite consistent in that I am very reluctant to interfere with the right of anybody to do what they wish to do, provided that it does not harm others.
That brings me to the issues that were raised by Mr Duby, and earlier by Dr Kinloch, and they are critical issues. Mr Duby's point, rightly, was that we should have in place, before the first dice is rolled, the facilities that Dr Kinloch spoke so eloquently about earlier and that were described in the committee report on the casino, and that we must be aware that in allowing a casino to go ahead we will be causing some anguish for some members of our society. That does give me some difficulty. At the same time I am aware that, because some people drive irresponsibly and crash their cars, that does not mean that we therefore should ban cars. In my own philosophy I put it at the same level; that that is not the appropriate methodology.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the other point I should like to raise at this stage is that it was on my motion that that committee to look into the casino was established. At the time that I put that motion I explained to the Assembly that I had not made up my mind about a casino. I had an open mind about it. I certainly was prepared to say, "No casino on section 19". But, in reading the report of that committee and in looking at the issue over the period, I feel quite comfortable in coming to the conclusion now that there are no major blocks as far as the establishment of a casino in the ACT goes. Therefore, Mr Deputy Speaker, I have pleasure in supporting this legislation.
MR JENSEN (4.51): Mr Deputy Speaker, my colleagues have already spoken on the issue of whether or not there should be a casino in the ACT. However, I believe that it is important that my views be on the record as well. My views on the casino and its location have not changed since my comments by way of a dissenting report to the report of the Select Committee on the Establishment of a Casino which reported in July 1989.
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