Page 1835 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 15 June 1993
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matter was drawn to the attention of the Canberra community in December last year. So it has been around for a long time. There has been a great deal of consultation on the part of those who are interested in the matter, but I would have to say that there has not actually been a line of people trying to get in my door to say that they disagree.
Mr De Domenico: That is not true.
MADAM SPEAKER: Could we have some order, please!
MR BERRY: The racing clubs have written to me and have said that they disagree. I accept that they disagree, and I accept that they will never agree. I can accept that they will never agree.
Mrs Carnell: So who agrees?
MR BERRY: One hundred per cent of the shareholders agree. Let us reflect on this ridiculous situation. The shareholders, the Chief Minister and I, were each handed a cheque from ACTTAB for $60,000, made out to us personally. What a silly thing to happen in a government controlled - - -
Mrs Carnell: Why? What did you do with it?
MR BERRY: It was nonsense, and dangerous as well. Of course, it was given to Treasury. But what a stupid thing to have happening in an institution which is a monopoly in the Territory. Madam Speaker, that sort of stupidity will stop with this legislation.
The Betting (Totalizator Administration) (Amendment) Bill will establish the ACTTAB as a statutory body operating on a similar basis to all other TABs throughout Australia. We know, or we hear, that the Victorian Government is interested in considering selling off certain parts of its TAB, as are Western Australia and New South Wales. Who wants to be like any of them? Who wants to be like Western Australia, selling the silver? Who wants to be like Victoria, selling off the family silver? Who wants to be in the trouble that New South Wales is in? Who wants to be a Liberal? All they are interested in is selling off the profitable parts of government instrumentalities to their mates. There is no question about it. It is clear.
Madam Speaker, the Alliance Government made the ACTTAB into a Territory owned corporation, as has been said. The ACT was the only State or Territory to take this step towards privatisation of an organisation with such a high turnover. Mr De Domenico has already tabled a letter which set out a proposed deal to sell off 50 per cent of it, a deal conjured up by people interested in selling off part of the Territory owned body. Madam Speaker, this is an organisation with a high turnover - $85.8m last financial year. Since the Liberals have taken over office in Western Australia and Victoria, all of a sudden there is this abiding interest in selling off the family silver. Well, this Government is not interested - - -
Mr Cornwell: That is because the Labor Party ran up so many debts.
MR BERRY: Well, we have not. We do not have to sell our family silver.
Mr De Domenico: No-one is selling anything.
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