Page 2005 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 15 June 1994
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Professor Pearce points out that the chair of ACTTAB went so far as to suggest that checking should follow the same form as for the casino. He then went on to describe what background checks are made under the Casino Control Act. Even ACTTAB's own requirements are set out in paragraph 103. A quite detailed set of checks is set out. He concludes paragraph 111 on this issue by saying:
Even the local TAB agent is subjected to greater scrutiny.
Incompetence is the issue I want to deal with today, and one of the greatest acts of incompetence was this failure to scrutinise where it should have occurred. We see a whole series of reasons as to why that was the case. Mr Neck said that the association with the former Prime Minister was part of the reason why those checks were not carried out well enough. That issue is associated with the suggestion of a difference of opinion between Ms Robinson, Mr Berry's adviser, and Mr Townsend. I find Professor Pearce's conclusion very interesting. He states in paragraph 106:
... I accept Mr Townsend's view of the matter.
That goes, I think, to the nub of a series of issues where there seems to have been some difference between Mr Townsend and Ms Robinson. Madam Speaker, I have dealt with Ms Robinson now for the best part of five years and I must say that there has never been a single occasion on which I have had to doubt her probity on any issue. Whilst Professor Pearce, not having had that experience, may draw that conclusion, I wonder whether I would have drawn the same conclusion. I might also add, Madam Speaker, that many of us recognise that our staff and advisers have an extraordinarily difficult job to do and have an extraordinary amount of information coming across their desks. One cannot help wondering how much more difficult that is for an adviser to a Minister.
I would like now to draw attention to paragraph 113, Madam Speaker, to see what we can learn from this exercise. Apart from the political point scoring, which I am sure the Liberals will continue, the critical thing is to see what we can learn from Professor Pearce's report and what we can apply not only to the TAB in the ACT but right across departments and statutory authorities. He said:
It may be thought strange that ACTTAB is running at a loss when it has a strong reputation as an efficient organisation. The reason for this is that it is the only TAB in Australia that is required to pay a percentage of its turnover to the Government and the racing industry as distinct from a proportion of its profit. It may be that the percentage has been set at too high a level for ACTTAB to be expected realistically to be able to function at a profit without having to contemplate entering into contracts such as that proposed by VITAB.
That is an important issue for the Minister to deal with. Is that an appropriate way for ACTTAB to have to operate compared to the other TABs?
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