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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (9 April) . . Page.. 826 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

The responses of both Labor and Liberal in the ACT to this issue could lead the community to be very cynical about politicians' commitment to showing leadership and responsibility in this area. Mrs Carnell has said that there will be no extension of upgraded machines to hotels this term. What about next term? "Vote for me, and you might get them". No arguments for or against; no addressing the issues. I am encouraged today, however, to learn that Mrs Carnell is willing to have a round table discussion on the issue of an independent inquiry and, hopefully, we will be able to work together on this important social issue.

As for Labor - what can I say? In a last minute attempt to protect the clubs, they come out with a fair and balanced approach to issues facing the ACT Assembly. They now have an opportunity to show that they indeed do have a fair and balanced approach to these issues by supporting this inquiry and not persisting with this absurd strategy they have dreamt up. It is very telling, really. I must say, after the debate we have just had, that it is even more critical that Labor does take this inquiry seriously and support it. It is very telling that Labor, in its strategy, says that it is a balance for issues facing the Assembly. Yes, they are in a spot in the Assembly, because the Greens have come up with a proposal that might indeed worry the clubs and Labor, but the Greens would have thought it was issues facing the whole community, not just the Assembly, that were of concern. The Greens have been working on this issue for over a year now, and I believe that, if we are to have a responsible and planned industry which takes into account the downside of gambling, we must have this inquiry. We depend on gambling in the ACT for about 11 per cent of our revenue; that is about $50m, more than half of which comes from poker machines. We fund specific gambling support services to the tune of only about $100,000.

I am putting forward this motion because I believe that we need to put in place a comprehensive process of research - yes, Mr Whitecross wants research too - analysis, discussion, and planning to produce a responsible and far-sighted gambling industry plan for the ACT. The main reasons that have inspired me to pursue this issue and prompted me to put forward the legislation that I have and this motion today are the increasing reliance of governments of all persuasions on the gambling dollar revenue, and the out-of-control growth of the industry, the growth of problem gambling, which is primarily associated with poker machines in the ACT, lack of funding for education and prevention programs, and inadequate funding for counselling and community support services.

We all know that there is a lot of politics around gambling in this town; that has been demonstrated again. If Mr Whitecross is so concerned about problem gambling, he can support my motion today, because the inquiry we are proposing will cover all the issues Mr Whitecross purports to be concerned about but will carry a lot more power and weight. The issues Mr Whitecross wants raised are the sorts of issues we want raised in our inquiry. We are happy, however, to include in our motion - I will seek leave to amend our motion, and this amendment will be circulated now - the detail of what Mr Whitecross wants. Obviously, any inquiry that is charged with the responsibility of coming up with a comprehensive industry plan, having regard for the social and economic

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