Page 6 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 22 February 1994
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MR BERRY: I am giving you the facts as they are. The chairman of ACTTAB has also advised that the Sydney Morning Herald article took Mr Bartholomew's attendance at that meeting out of context - so it was not correctly presented - and that other details provided in the article on the financial arrangements between VITAB and ACTTAB were wildly inaccurate. I was not aware of Mr Batholomew's attendance at any meetings related to the agreement until today. I take you back to the point that I raised a little while ago; that in early September 1993 ACTTAB requested Price Waterhouse to conduct a company check of VITAB, and I am advised that the results of those checks were satisfactory. So, on the advice that I have in front of me, all the necessary issues were addressed in the course of developing this contract with VITAB.
I should add, Madam Speaker, that that may go to some of the other issues which might be in members' minds in relation to the VITAB issue. VITAB, on my understanding of it, has been established to tap into the large and underdeveloped Asian gaming market by utilising Australian technical support and betting pools. VITAB does not seek business from within Australia, and I have tabled a letter here - - -
Mr De Domenico: Which is worthless, surely. Stick it in the contract.
MR BERRY: The written undertaking from VITAB reinforces that position. Nobody has brought forward any evidence to suggest that they are recruiting punters in Australia. You people are whipping up a storm and trying to create a whole heap of dust about the issue, but the facts of the matter are as I have reported them here. The VITAB organisation was issued the second betting licence, not the first, by the Republic of Vanuatu. The first licence was issued to an agent of the Victorian TAB and has been in operation for almost 12 months. The Victorian TAB operation has not been assessed as having a detrimental effect on the Australian TAB network and has not been criticised.
It is not my position to defend Mr Bartholomew. I just put the facts before you in relation to his very brief attendance at discussions with ACTTAB. I note that the Opposition are putting a lot of weight on the fact that somebody has been named in the course of - - -
Mr De Domenico: He has been arrested three times for alleged SP bookmaking.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr De Domenico, you asked your question.
MR BERRY: Again, it is not my position to defend Mr Bartholomew, but I think you should also place on record what the rest of the article in the Sydney Morning Herald said in relation to Mr Bartholomew.
MR DE DOMENICO: I have a supplementary question. I ask the Deputy Chief Minister, again, whether he was aware, or ACTTAB was aware, that the same Mr Peter Bartholomew was in the same room at the Hyatt Hotel, Canberra, in 1992 as Mr Alan Tripp, who was arrested, charged, convicted and fined $13,000 for being an illegal SP bookmaker here in the ACT.
Mr Berry: Why do you not say that outside, matey?
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