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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 8 Hansard (27 October) . . Page.. 2284 ..

MR SPEAKER: I present the Auditor-General's Report No. 5 of 1998 entitled "Management of Housing Assistance".

Motion (by Mr Humphries, by leave) agreed to:

That the Assembly authorises the publication of the Auditor-General's Report No. 5 of 1998.

MR HUMPHRIES (Acting Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice and Community Safety and Minister Assisting the Treasurer) (3.39): Mr Speaker, for the information of members and pursuant to section 54D of the Gaming Machine Act 1987, I present the report by the Commissioner for ACT Revenue "Contributions made by Gaming Machine Licensees to Charitable and Community Organisations" for the period 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998. I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

Mr Speaker, this is the first report by the Commissioner for ACT Revenue on contributions made by gaming machine licensees to charitable and community organisations. The report is the culmination of some of the recommendations of the Joint Industry/Government Working Party on the Licensed Club Industry which was established by the Government in July 1996. Following the recommendations of the working party in February 1997, the Government agreed that the individual gaming machine licensees be required to provide detailed financial information on an annual basis, including a full disclosure of funding to all community groups. Mr Speaker, this measure is aimed at enhancing the accountability of the industry with respect to its revenue from gaming machines. It is also aimed at providing a sound basis for future development and analysis of government policies on gaming machines. The report compiles data on all contributions declared by gaming licensees into various categories, depending on the purpose for which each contribution was made.

All gaming licensees declared a total of $9.4m as contributions to charitable and community groups. Over 40 per cent of this total contribution, or $4.5m, went to the development and maintenance of infrastructure assets for members, and in some cases for public use. Contributions to charitable and non-profit organisations were only $1.030m, or 1.2 per cent of the total net gaming machine revenue of $86.649m received in 1997-98.

Mr Speaker, the Government recognises the valuable services that licensed clubs are providing to their members and acknowledges that there are many clubs contributing a fair share of their profits to worthwhile causes. For the club industry as a whole,

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