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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 2043 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

Those are the sorts of things that need to be addressed. Mr Speaker, we would have liked these things to have been addressed a lot quicker than they have been. I would be the first to admit that. This is a major issue and a major change for the people of Canberra. We were not willing to make a rash decision overnight. We were not willing to jump into what might have been an easy solution - and a few were put to us. We wanted to have an approach that would last over a period of time, that would be fair, that would be equitable and that would not end up with the sudden leaps and the lack of predicability that the previous Government's approach produced.

Our approach is that it is important at this time to give the people of Canberra confidence. If this Assembly chooses for it not to be that way, that is fine too. We believe that this year the people of Canberra are in a position where they know exactly what rates that they will pay. They know exactly how to budget for the coming year. I think that is extraordinarily important during these very difficult times in Canberra. Again I thank the members of the Assembly for their support for this legislation, and I will be very pleased to come forward with a new ratings approach at some stage in the future.

Amendment agreed to.

Bill, as a whole, as amended, agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

[COGNATE BILL:

Debate resumed from 20 June 1996, on motion by Mr De Domenico:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

MR SPEAKER: Is it the wish of the Assembly to debate this order of the day concurrently with the Betting (Corporatisation) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 1996? There being no objection, that course will be followed. I remind members that in debating order of the day No. 2 they may also address their remarks to order of the day No. 3.

MR WOOD (11.18): The Opposition will oppose this Bill. I recall that in his speech the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr De Domenico, said that ACTTAB needed to be a dynamic, commercially viable, enterprising body. That is undeniably true. I am sure that all members and all in the community would agree with that. The TAB operates in a highly competitive environment and an environment that is increasingly competitive. Mr De Domenico read into his speech the range of competitors, from clubs to the new casino to interstate activities and the like.

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