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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 1 Hansard (16 February) . . Page.. 147 ..

MR SMYTH: Yes, we will talk to everybody. We will look at all schools, not just St Clare's and St Edmund's, to ensure that we deliver the service our school students deserve in terms of ACTION buses, road safety and a safe trip home.

MR RUGENDYKE: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister, Mrs Carnell. It is an easy one, for a change. Chief Minister, high profile bookmaker Mark Read announced on the weekend that he is forming a consortium to buy one of Australia's smaller TABs. Mr Read indicated publicly that ACTTAB is one of the TABs in his sights. Has Mr Read or any member of his consortium been involved in talks with the Government at any level in regard to buying ACTTAB? If so, what has been discussed?

MS CARNELL: Mr Read certainly has not spoken to me about buying ACTTAB. I understand that there is some talk that the Northern Territory TAB may be on the market. The situation for the Government with regard to ACTTAB has not changed since the last time I made a comment in this area. We are looking at how we might allow ACTTAB to grow in the future in government ownership. I think even the union made the point that sitting on your hands at ACTTAB in its current form really was not sustainable. Two round tables we had with stakeholders identified a number of areas to look at to see whether they hold any prospect for growth. They were things like all new poker machines that may go into ACT clubs in the future being managed by our TAB - I think Mr Kaine's committee is looking at that - Internet gambling and sports betting. We would have to determine just what those things might do for our TAB in the future. Certainly it is true that the sale of our TAB is not off the Government's agenda, but I am informed not only that have I not spoken to Mark Read but also that it would appear that my staff have not either, so the answer is no.

MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister. On 13 November 1997, 21 May 1998 and 2 September 1998 I asked questions about the empty Erindale police station, mentioning the vandalism suffered by the John Knight Hostel nearby while it was left empty. On 21 May last year Mr Smyth replied:

I share with Mr Wood his concern over the long delays that occurred, particularly with the John Knight Hostel, which stood empty for a long period of time and was indeed vandalised.

Also on that day Mr Humphries, the owner of the station, so to speak, at that time, said:

This is a valuable asset and its future also forms an integral part of the future of the Erindale group centre. I hope to be in a position to make a statement to the Assembly during the next sitting week on the use of the facility.

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