Page 1829 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 15 June 1993
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Mr Berry: How long ago?
MR DE DOMENICO: It does not matter how long ago it was. This is the Cabinet submission that you took into Cabinet, saying, "We need to change the world. This is why". Whom did you talk to, Mr Berry? He said that he talked to the Treasury and the Chief Minister's Department, but he did not talk to the racing industry or the TAB. If this is not about racing and the TAB, Mr Berry, I do not know what it is about.
Let us look at consultation again. Mr Berry, gung ho, macho and all that left-wing stuff, says, "Gee, I am good; I have the numbers on this one". Obviously you would think that the racing industry is in agreement, as are the trots, the greyhounds, the TAB owners and licensees; that everybody is in agreement and that is why he has come in here to pass this legislation. That is not so. I can now quote from another document, of 11 December 1992, a letter signed by Mr Bartley, deputy chairman of the ACT Racing Club Incorporated, a Mr Cooper, the president of the Canberra Harness Racing Club Incorporated, and Mr Manwaring, the chairman of the Canberra Greyhound Club. For the purposes of the record, Madam Speaker, I quote from this letter. It says:
Dear Mr Berry,
Members of the ACT Racing Industry are 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, the reverse to what has occurred in other states following the introduction of a casino where the circumstances were similar.
Mr Lamont: What has happened in the intervening six months, Minister?
MR DE DOMENICO: You will have a chance to reply to this later, Mr Lamont. I continue to quote:
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, -
these are the operative words, Madam Speaker -
and without consultation with the industry, is unacceptable. TAB turnover provides the lifeblood of the industry and the employment and the livelihood of a large number of - - -
Debate interrupted.
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