Page 4383 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 8 December 1993
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Mr Kaine: Yes, we know that; but why do you not answer the question?
MR BERRY: The old silver fox over here did not even ask the question and he still wants to intervene. You are not leader now; Mrs Carnell is. This is the woman that is leading the Liberal Party down the path of destruction. You all criticise her for it, but you are to blame.
Mr Humphries: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. This is an important matter, and I think the Assembly would like to hear the answer. I ask, therefore, that the Minister be directed to remove himself from the irrelevancies of who happens to be Leader of the Opposition.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Humphries. I will similarly direct that there be no further interjections today.
MR BERRY: The Liberals have been trying to make a big thing out of this. The Government made a good decision and decorporatised the TAB. We own it forever, and your mates are not going to get their little fingers into it. There is no chance that your mates are going to get their little fingers into it. There has been a deal done in relation to - - -
Mr Humphries: Bob Hawke?
MR BERRY: No; they want to get their big fat pudgy fingers into it, Mrs Carnell indicates. The top end of town would really like to get hold of a profitable thing like the TAB.
Mr De Domenico: As would Mr Hawke.
MR BERRY: Here you go. Mr Hawke has nothing at all to do with the TAB. Mr De Domenico seeks to mislead, seeks to poison, as usual. These are the grubby little stunts that we often see from Mr De Domenico in particular - the grubbiest of stunts.
Much of the discussion centred on this issue of inducements, be they financial or in kind, problems relating to the operation of TABs in hotels and clubs, and the level of commission paid to agents providing these services. The issue of VITAB and the Victorian TAB's arrangements in Vanuatu were also discussed. The ACT is not the only TAB that has an interest in what goes on in Vanuatu. The Victorian TAB has as well. This issue of inducements is one of concern around Australia, not only in relation to the operators of hotels and pub TABs who might offer inducements, but also for other cross-border TABs. There is a general consensus that it does not do any of the TABs any good to poach each other's territory, but that is not to say that people in Melbourne cannot have a phone account in the ACT or that people in the ACT cannot have a phone account in Victoria. Inducements are a problem, but they are not the sort of problem the Liberals are trying to make them out to be.
While the potential for the payment of inducements to Australian punters through these offshore arrangements was recognised, none of the States or Territories suggested an end to these types of arrangements. That is the advice I get back from the meeting.
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