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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 2 Hansard (27 February) . . Page.. 559 ..

MS McRAE: My question is to the Minister for Sport, Mr Stefaniak. Minister, are you aware that the ACT Racing Club and/or the ACTTAB has been paying, on a regular basis, a rebate of between one per cent and 2 per cent of turnover to one patron of the betting auditorium since that auditorium was opened?

MR STEFANIAK: The Minister who looks after ACTTAB has more information than I do, Ms McRae, so I will let her answer.

MRS CARNELL: Ms McRae, I think it is appropriate that as Treasurer I take that particular question.

Ms McRae: So long as I get an answer.

MRS CARNELL: I can guarantee that you will. Ms McRae, it was reported to us a couple of weeks ago that there was concern amongst some people that there may have been payments from the TAB to large punters. As you would be aware, that was something that was of great concern to the ACT Government, because that would be contrary to our current agreement with superTAB. What we did immediately was call in an independent auditor, Deloittes, to do a full review of the situation involved. We believed that it was important to get to the bottom of the matter very quickly. Even the slight chance that there was something happening at that level was something that we certainly were not willing to risk. We got the report back from Deloittes a week or so ago. Deloittes have said quite categorically that there is no problem; that the TAB is not paying any form of rebate to large punters.

What I did then, Ms McRae, was immediately write to the presidents of the three associated racing clubs - the Canberra Harness Racing Club, the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club and the ACT Racing Club - making sure they were very well aware of their responsibility not to be involved in any of these sorts of arrangements. As Ms McRae would be aware, the ACT Government does not run the racing clubs themselves, but we certainly believe that the racing clubs must know what their responsibilities are. I understand that we have since spoken to superTAB and explained to them the approach that we have taken, and superTAB have indicated that they are very happy with that approach. If you would like me to table the auditor's report, I would be happy to do so.

MS McRAE: Mr Speaker, my supplementary question was going to be a question asking Mrs Carnell whether it was possible to see that report and also a copy of the letters that she sent to the clubs. The concerns are the same as the ones you raise, so it would be good to be able to placate them.

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I am very happy to show Ms McRae the letters involved. I would prefer not to table them, as they were letters between me and other persons. I am happy to show them to her. The report is fine for tabling.

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