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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 12 Hansard (5 December) . . Page.. 3599 ..

MR QUINLAN: I did, Mr Speaker, and I very happily withdraw the term "twist the truth".

MR SPEAKER: Thank you.

MR QUINLAN: My addition to the lexicon of this place of "I've been Gary - ed" will now refer to misinforming the Assembly. Either way, it does little credit to Mr Humphries.

The report that produced this skewed position - the one that Mr Humphries and I understand Mr Moore have dined out on - contains a core figure of net gaming machine revenue and is the product of gross gaming machine revenue less overheads. However, the club industry is permitted to deduct only 15 per cent of gross revenue in respect of overheads. This arbitrary rule has been imposed despite the fact that the clubs have put out their own document, unchallenged by the government, explaining what their overheads are.

ACIL Consulting produced figures to demonstrate what the clubs' overheads are. However, the government has ignored this work. In an unexplained move, the government has ruled that only 15 per cent of gross revenue for overheads can be deducted from poker machine revenue. This arrangement helps to strengthen the government's argument, and I rather think that borders on misinformation.

The opposition can support some of the main thrust of this legislation in terms of the need for the club industry to contribute to - and this is the definition used in New South Wales - community development and support. We can support the removal of penalties for late payment of taxation so that the regime that applies to the club industry is consistent with what applies to other taxpayers within the territory. I think that is reasonable and fair.

We are a little bemused by the requirement for larger clubs to be incorporated. The only explanation that I understand has been put forward is that this will save the ACT administration a little work because of responsibilities being passed upstairs at the federal level. This will mean that some of the unincorporated larger clubs will be faced with having to undertake considerably more work. But, again, this is one of those imbalances that favour the current administration. Although we do not actually support that requirement, we will nevertheless charge ahead with it.

We view the club industry's responsibilities in contributing to the community to include contributing to community support in the general sense. There are some clubs that contribute heavily to charity, and in that respect I refer to the Canberra Tradesmen's Union Club. Before I left home this morning I noticed on the sideboard a little lapel badge issued by the CFMEU's children's health trust. The Canberra Tradesmen's Union Club makes a considerable effort to support charities which service the community and the CFMEU's children's health trust is one of its main beneficiaries.

I do not know whether there is a Canberra Chamber of Commerce children's trust; I doubt it. I doubt if the caftan and sandalwear people have a children's trust. But the CFMEU does and the Tradesmen's Union Club of the ACT is one of the major contributors within the club industry to charity. Nevertheless, there is an implication that

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