Page 3872 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 15 December 1992
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Mr Kaine: He might have to move over for Mr Lamont if he does not do something.
MR DE DOMENICO: That is right; he might have to move over for Mr Lamont. That is an interesting question, Mr Kaine. I am glad that Mr Kaine interjected in his usual intelligent way. This may be the precursor for the establishment of the fifth ministry. Is it not interesting to note that all of a sudden - rush, rush, rush - the TAB is not doing the right thing by the people of the ACT? A week and a bit before Christmas there is this real urgency for Mr Berry to walk into this house and advise us of this magnificent change to something that is working well already. Last Friday we read about it on the back page of the Canberra Times. Today we read about it on the front page, but interestingly - - -
Mr Connolly: You should try to read the middle of the paper sometimes, Tony.
MR DE DOMENICO: No, it is not worth it, Mr Connolly. Interestingly, though, Mr Deputy Speaker, there are more leaks in this issue than God knows what. There certainly are a lot of leaks. Quite ironically, everybody else was informed per medium of the newspaper. It is interesting to note the views of the people directly affected by things like ACTTAB, namely, the ACT Racing Club, the Harness Racing Club and the Greyhound Racing Club, because they have a direct interest in the thing. This letter to Mr Berry, dated 11 December, says:
Dear Mr Berry,
Members of the ACT Racing Industry are alarmed -
I repeat, "alarmed" -
at the statement in today's Canberra Times that the Government now proposes to change the structure of the ACT TAB after only two years of operation as a Territory owned corporation. In this very short period ACT TAB Ltd has, notwithstanding the current economic recession, made many improvements for customers and has increased TAB turnover. Notwithstanding the introduction of the Casino from 14 November, TAB turnover has (although marginally) increased - - -
Mr Kaine: An Alliance Government initiative.
MR DE DOMENICO: Yes, an Alliance Government initiative. The letter continues:
the reverse to what has occurred in other states following the introduction of a casino where the circumstances were similar.
The racing industry in the ACT is almost wholly dependent on the successful operation of the TAB and any suggestion that the present successfully operated organisation be summarily changed, and without any consultation with the industry, is unacceptable.
And so it should be. Mr Berry waxes lyrical and says, "Listen, I have a mandate to do this; this is what the people want me to do about it", without consulting anybody whatsoever in the industry who is going to be more affected by these changes than anybody else. All of a sudden, let us throw it all out of the window; it is going too well. It is an Alliance initiative, as Mr Kaine said, and a very
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .