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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 12 Hansard (25 November) . . Page.. 3735 ..
MR KAINE (continuing):
Casino Canberra has now recognised that any new and additional rights such as the right to install gaming machines must be accompanied by an appropriate additional premium. Such a premium is integral to my proposal. I draw to the attention of Assembly members a thoughtful editorial in the Canberra Times of 10 September 1999, which deals with the issue of gaming machines. The editorial quotes the finding of the Productivity Commission inquiry into gambling suggesting that restricted gaming machine ownership was not necessarily the answer to problem gambling. The Canberra Times went on to say, and I quote:
Any relaxation must be done in accordance with the broader social agenda led by a caring and clever Government -
we know we have got that -
which seeks to limit the damage that gambling can do.
I believe that this Assembly has now set the broader social agenda which is required by that statement. The challenge for government and for us as individual members of this place is to ensure vigilant adherence to that agenda. Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I commend the Bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Humphries ) adjourned.
Debate resumed.
MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services) (4.10), in reply: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Government understands that members would like to take some more time to consider these Bills. Although disappointing, it is understandable. I understand that some members did not receive my response to the scrutiny of Bills committee until today. So the scrutiny of Bills did raise a large number of concerns, although I believe they are adequately addressed. So, if it is the wish of the Assembly, the Government would support adjourning the debate at the end of the in-principle stage and bring it back in the first sitting week in December.
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