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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (9 April) . . Page.. 757 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

It was revealed earlier this week that in the last two years alone the Australian Labor Party's ACT branch received donations totalling $604,000, Mr Speaker, from two licensed clubs - there could have been others as well - the Canberra Labor Club and the Tradesmen's Union Club. That is $300,000 a year. That is a significant amount of money. Mr Speaker, it is clear that these donations by these two clubs are primarily derived from the profit generated by turnover on class C gaming machines which remain the exclusive province of licensed clubs, at least at this stage. In other words, the ALP, and, by extension, its members in the Legislative Assembly, derive a substantial financial benefit from this exclusivity.

Mr Speaker, when this Assembly comes to debate or vote on any possible extension of the availability of gaming machines, or any other related issue that could affect the income of licensed clubs in this way, this benefit and this exclusivity would, and does, constitute a clear conflict of interest for members of the ALP. Mr Speaker, I do not think there are any ifs or buts on this; $300,000 a year is not a small amount of money. It is not a donation of $100 or $200; $300,000 a year, or $604,000 - - -

Mr Moore: It is the best part of a million dollars by the time it comes to an election.

MRS CARNELL: Yes, Mr Moore is right. It comes very close to a million dollars over a three-year term. That is a very significant amount of money. For this reason, and because issues of conflict of interest must be determined on the floor of the Assembly, the Government decided to put this motion before all members today.

Mr Speaker, the motion also identifies Mr Osborne through his association with a licensed club and the remuneration that he receives from that organisation. He is also receiving a benefit that is primarily derived from gaming machines and the exclusivity that is currently enjoyed by clubs. Mr Osborne, of course, has publicly declared this conflict of interest and this remuneration on a number of occasions, Mr Speaker. I am sure that members have heard Mr Osborne make the comment that he does not believe that he should vote on these sorts of issues.

In conclusion, members of the Assembly have the opportunity today to urge those MLAs who have been named in this motion to abstain from voting or participating in any debate, motion, or legislation relating to gaming machines because of the very clear conflict of interest that exists. Mr Speaker, I come back to the amount of money involved. The arguments that we have had about conflict of interest in this place have always been related to direct financial gain, and $604,000 over two years is a significant number of dollars in anybody's terms, Mr Speaker. If this motion is passed, I would hope that Mr Osborne and members of the ALP would heed any resolution of this Assembly. I would hope and assume that members involved would not participate in debate or vote on issues that could potentially produce a significant financial benefit to them or to the party that they are involved in.

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