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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 4 Hansard (11 April) . . Page.. 972 ..

MR QUINLAN (continuing):

a completion date within 18 months of the date of commencement, instead of 12 months under the original scheme.

A letter dated 17 December 2001 from the Commonwealth Treasurer supplied formal details of the conditions relating to the additional grants. As soon as the formal details were received, I obtained the agreement of a sufficient majority of the members of this Assembly to pay the additional grant through an administrative arrangement until legislation could be introduced.

This bill will give legislative effect to the payments made under those administrative arrangements, allowing the full compliance and investigative powers to deal with any abuse of the system to obtain the additional grant. The existing eligibility criteria under the First Home Owner Grant Act will also apply for the additional grant. The Commissioner for ACT Revenue and his or her office administers the additional grant in the ACT.

In conclusion, Mr Speaker, this bill will give support to an initiative which will be of considerable financial assistance to genuine first home owners and, we hope, will also provide a stimulus to the building industry. I commend the bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Humphries ) adjourned to the next sitting.

Gaming Machine (Women's Sport) Amendment Bill 2002

Mr Quinlan, pursuant to notice, presented the bill and its explanatory memorandum.

Title read by Clerk.

MR QUINLAN (Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Business and Tourism, Minister for Sport, Racing and Gaming and Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Corrections) (10.37): I move:

The Gaming Machine (Women's Sport) Amendment Bill 2002 amends the Gaming Machine Act 1987. The purpose fulfils the women in sport component of the government's plan for women policy to provide greater support for the choices that women want to make in their lives. It is of great concern to this government that sportswomen and women's sporting teams fight a continual battle for recognition, media coverage, funding and sponsorship, and too often women's sport is left behind when it comes to securing the cash to fund operational needs, even at the elite level of sport.

This proposal therefore seeks to encourage ACT licensed clubs to help redress the situation by creating, under the Gaming Machine Act, a specific category of eligible community contributions that will benefit or enhance women's sport conducted in the territory, or those participants predominantly based in the territory. The incentive for clubs will be provided by enabling licensed clubs to claim $4 against their statutory community contributions requirement under the Gaming Machine Act for every $3 donated specifically for the benefit and enhancement of women's sport in the ACT.

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