Page 4026 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 23 November 1993
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Despite the fact that the question of inducements is not covered in the contract, following a direct question from ACTTAB, VITAB Ltd provided a letter which categorically states that they have not offered any inducements to any Australian bettors and that they have no intention of doing so. To fully clarify the queries of the Opposition, I would like to quote from the correspondence between VITAB Ltd and ACTTAB. They say:
We have received your facsimiles of 19 and 22 November 1993 regarding alleged inducements being offered to Australian punters.
First, let me categorically state that we have not offered any inducements to any Australian bettors and we have no intention of doing so.
These allegations are of great concern to us and we would welcome further details so that we may take appropriate and substantive legal action against the party or parties engaged in what appears to be "whispering" campaign.
We have been approached by a number of persons who wish either to purchase a shareholding in VITAB or who wish to bet with us on non-standard terms. None of these proposals has been entertained. However, some parties have felt aggrieved and have made known their displeasure in various ways.
We are appointing overseas representatives who will be working on a commission basis (But not 5 per cent) and some of these will be expatriate Australians who are providing form and related services to Asian punters in locations such as Hong Kong. Consequently, we wish to be cautious about referring to Australian-based persons as these people see themselves as working temporarily in Asia.
We have already secured Asian clientele and are continuing to quietly and professionally market ourselves in that region.
In answer to your three questions.
1. VITAB will not at any time be knowingly seeking the business of Australian resident customers by way of rebates, any other inducements or any other similar means.
2. VITAB will not at any time be knowingly seeking the business of Australian resident customers by means of advertising or promoting its betting activities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, we cannot ensure that Australian residents will not be betting with us if they go to Vanuatu. In order to protect ourselves from allegations of poaching Australian TAB's custom, we will be requiring each account customer to sign a declaration to that effect.
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