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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 8 Hansard (26 August) . . Page.. 2539 ..

MS TUCKER (4.40): I support Mr Humphries' amendment, which changes the title of the Bill from "Gaming" to "Gambling". I understand that we all support that.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 3

MS TUCKER (4.41): I move:

My first amendment seeks to insert in the preliminary section of the Bill that there be a code of practice. The details of the code of practice would be set out later in the Bill, but I will speak to them now to give Mr Humphries a bit of time to find his papers. This amendment is important because the Select Committee on Gambling received a lot of evidence supporting the need to have a mandatory code of practice. We received a lot of information about what should be in such a code of practice. It is really about giving the principle of informed consent particular force in the gambling industry. It is obviously of importance because the Productivity Commission said that the principle of informed consent should apply with particular force to the gambling industries, given the potential for consumer losses. The Productivity Commission found that there was a lack of even basic information about the price and nature of some gambling products, let alone the potential dangers from excessive consumption.

A number of concerns need to be addressed in relation to the code of practice. The code of practice may include, but is not limited to, guidelines about the items listed, which came from evidence to the committee. As I have said, the list is supported by the Productivity Commission, which is particularly interested in advertising, promotional practices and the offering of inducements, providing objective and accurate information about losing and winning, training staff to recognise and deal appropriately with people who are problem gamblers or are at risk, developing methods of dealing with staff or clients who are problem gamblers, the availability of cash and credit facilities, and self-exclusion arrangements. Basically, the proposal is really just about giving this legislation more detail, if you like, and giving the commission more detail and guidance through the legislation. It represents what has come to the bodies that have looked at these issues.

MR QUINLAN (4.44): Mr Deputy Speaker, had I thought that I could get the numbers, I probably would have moved an amendment to reduce this amendment to a single code of practice, but I do not think that would get currency today. I am concerned about this matter and give notice, if you like, that once this legislation is in place we will be seeking to ensure that the codes of practice that are decided upon by the commission across the various sectors of the gambling industry are consistent and are applied

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