Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .
Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 8 Hansard (26 August) . . Page.. 2467 ..
The Assembly met at 10.30 am.
(Quorum formed)
MR SPEAKER (Mr Cornwell) took the chair and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.
MR HUMPHRIES (Treasurer, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Community Safety) (10.32): I present the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 1999, together with its explanatory memorandum.
Title read by Clerk.
MR HUMPHRIES: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
This legislation amends the Casino Control Act 1988, the Gaming Machine Act 1987 and the Interactive Gambling Act 1998. The establishment of the Gambling and Racing Commission provides the impetus to review these principal gambling laws. As members will be aware, the commission is to assume the responsibilities and functions of the Casino Surveillance Authority, and the gaming machine, lotteries, interactive gambling, and racing and betting functions currently within the Department of Treasury and Infrastructure.
This is the first occasion since its enactment that the Casino Control Act has been the subject of a major review. The amendments to the Gaming Machine Act in recent years have been to address specific issues but not its technical deficiencies, and the amendments to the Interactive Gambling Act have resulted from experience in its administration. The primary purposes of these amendments are to remove obsolete provisions and anomalies; where possible provide consistency within each Act, across the three pieces of legislation and with the commission legislation; and overcome administrative and operational deficiencies.
There has been insufficient time to review all the gambling laws. These amendments are intended to shore up the principal gambling Acts until the urgently needed review of all of the Territory's gambling laws is undertaken. These amendments will allow gambling in the Territory to be more effectively regulated until the wider review is completed.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .