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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 9 Hansard (4 September) . . Page.. 2974 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

At present there is a lack of requirements for clubs to be fully accountable for their operations and to provide relevant information to the Revenue Office under the Gaming Machine Act. This lack of detailed financial statistics from clubs makes it difficult to obtain an accurate picture of the industry's performance, in particular how clubs' funds are spent, especially on community groups. As clubs currently have monopoly rights on gaming machines, there is a strong expectation from the Government and the general community that profits earned directly or indirectly from gaming licences will be used for the benefit not only of members of the clubs but also of the general community. This Bill is one step closer to achieving this aim. Although the Commissioner for ACT Revenue currently has the power to request some data from clubs, the proposed changes are considered necessary to provide certainty and consistency to clubs with regard to record keeping. This will enhance the transparency and accountability of clubs and the level of commitment of clubs to members and to the wider community generally and will streamline operational processes.

I believe very strongly that this piece of legislation will go a long way towards making it very clear to the Canberra community that clubs are contributing significantly to the wellbeing of this community. It goes somewhat further than that. Under the requirements of national competition policy, of course, there needs to be demonstrated community benefit for any legislation that does not create an open market. If we are restricting poker machines to clubs only, then those clubs must be able to show demonstrated community benefit and the Government must be able to show demonstrated community benefit when we are discussing issues of national competition policy with the ACCC.

As a society generally, not just in the ACT, Australians like to have a bit of a gamble. There is nothing wrong with that as long as you do it in moderation, but surely there should be some community benefit from the profits of that gambling. Poker machines are a very obvious way to ensure that that is the case. Clubs have told us for years - and I am confident that in most circumstances it is the truth - that they contribute significantly to the community. I know from my own experience of clubs that that is the case. There are quite significant contributions to sport. Just the other day I was at the Southern Cross Club when they distributed their annual community donations. I think they have given something like $1.6m over the last 15 years or so to small community groups that would otherwise not get that sort of support.

The clubs do all sorts of very good things. They now have an opportunity to put that together and put down in writing to be tabled in this Assembly just how much they contribute to the community. Most importantly, they now have an opportunity to show that their monopoly of poker machines is something that this Assembly should continue to support on the basis that the benefit to the community is demonstrable. That is really what this is about, as well as obviously the other technical amendments.

In conclusion, the measures contained in this Bill will assist the Government in developing appropriate policies and guidelines relating to the club industry and further demonstrate the Government's commitment to greater efficiency and timeliness in the process of regulation and approval of gaming machines. A lot of the work that comes together

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