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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 1 Hansard (13 December) . . Page.. 242 ..

MR QUINLAN (continuing):

Despite the increase in their gaming machine profits, the hotel licensees' contributions were a bit lower than last year. But it is only a small sector. I recall the former government making great show of the fact that a few hotels made a bigger contribution than clubs. It seemed to be at that time a spurious use of statistics, but we should be reminded of that. The main point is what the clubs contributed.

In the reporting period 2000-01, the club industry had a gross gaming machine revenue of $167 million, an increase of nearly $10 million, or nearly 7 per cent, on that received during 1999-2000. After tax, and subtracting 15 per cent of gross gaming machine revenue representing the clubs' operating costs, net gaming machine revenue received by all clubs is estimated at $102 million. It is on the net gaming machine revenue figure that clubs are required to pay their mandatory 5 per cent community contributions. It is pleasing to note that in line with the increase in net gaming machine revenue there is also an increase in the value of community contributions compared to the previous year.

A total of $13.9 million, virtually $14 million, was reported to the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission as community contributions, which is $3 million higher than in 1999-2000. Of the reported $13.9 million, the community sport and recreation infrastructure received $10.6 million, and $3.2 million went to charitable organisations, welfare, safety and social services, and non-profit organisations.

It is acknowledged that 17 clubs declared contributions in excess of 20 per cent of their gaming revenue and 32 clubs declared contributions of between 5 and 20 per cent of their net gaming machine revenue. Eight clubs did not meet the mandatory 5 per cent of net gaming machine revenue, and each of those clubs has been provided with a notice requiring that payment of short-fall tax. The short-fall tax payable is about $40,000.

The report contains the usual data. If you read the report I think you will find that the authors show a bias towards contributions to charitable organisations as opposed to wider community organisations and to sport and recreation. A moot point that we can discuss in this place is where community contributions begin and end.

I would like at this point to say a couple of words in relation to sport because it seems to be taken to be a lesser objective than outright charitable organisations. I do not wish to disavow that belief. I do not think contribution to the community can be much higher than giving directly to the Salvation Army or the Society of St Vincent De Paul, et cetera, but to play down the role of sport or to play down the role of welfare and safety organisations needs to be done with a certain amount of care.

I will stick up for sport at this stage by saying that we must recognise that sport is a contributor to the community. It contributes to the physical wellbeing of the community. But further, and particularly in relation to youth, it provides physical activity and an occupation for young people; it involves young people in teamwork; it involves them in discipline and in self-discipline. And success in sport provides an extra avenue for the building of self-esteem.

We ought to be aware of the great contribution made by the clubs within this community-many of which were set up principally to foster sport-by all the volunteers on their boards, by the coaching panels and by people at various administrative levels. It was an eye-opener to be at the ACT Clubs Sportstar of the Year

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