Page 2542 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 1993
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Madam Speaker, I commend the Bill to the Assembly. These changes have been sought by the licensed clubs of this Territory. I believe that they are changes which will be of benefit to the clubs, both in a business sense and also for their members. They make provision for some housekeeping matters, strengthen the law against illegal activity in relation to gaming machines and provide to the punters greater opportunity to enjoy their gambling activities. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
MADAM SPEAKER: The question is: That this Bill be agreed to.
Mr Kaine: Madam Speaker, I would like to speak to this Bill in the detail stage.
MADAM SPEAKER: No, you cannot. I have to put the question forthwith.
Mr Kaine: If necessary, I will seek leave to speak on the matter.
MADAM SPEAKER: No, you cannot, once I have put this question, Mr Kaine.
Mr Kaine: You have not put the question.
MADAM SPEAKER: I have. I just said that the question was that this Bill be agreed to.
Mr Kaine: You said, "The question is: That the Bill be agreed to", and before there was any vote I got to my feet.
MADAM SPEAKER: Just a minute, Mr Kaine. I am getting advice. Please do not quarrel. You may proceed and ask for leave, Mr Kaine.
MR KAINE: Madam Speaker, I seek leave to make a short statement on this matter before we proceed to vote on the detail stage of this Bill.
Leave granted.
MR KAINE: Thank you, members. This is not a frivolous request. I want to comment on only three or four of the matters that I referred to yesterday and that the Chief Minister now shrugs off as being inconsequential or stemming from a misunderstanding. I refer specifically to proposed section 42B and to clause 25 of the amending Bill, which relates to section 45 of the original Act.
In both cases, to understand this law a person not only has to read the gaming machine legislation but has to go to the taxation Act as well. In connection with proposed section 42B, first of all you have to go to section 24B of the Gaming Machine Act and then you have to go to the taxation Act. I am making the point, Madam Speaker, that it could have been much simpler, and this gaming machine law ought to stand on its own. The Chief Minister herself is on record as saying that law ought to be easy to read and understand. You should not have to go scrambling through a series of Acts to discover what your legal position and your legal responsibilities are.
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