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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 5 Hansard (9 May) . . Page.. 1416 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

My office has had discussions with the tavern owners. We have made our position quite clear to the tavern owners of the ACT. We know the Liberal Party want poker machines in taverns, we know the Liberal Party want poker machines in hotels-we know that is your position. Of course, you are out there telling them that. It is not the Labor Party's position. We have an attitude about these things, we have a view about it, and our position at this stage is that we will not support a trial of poker machines in taverns. As I said, I can tell people that over the phone, I can tell them that in a letter, I can tell them that face to face. On this occasion I chose not to say no to their faces. It was conveyed to them in other ways.

It is interesting that today the Australian Hotels Association have come out in quite significant disagreement with the attitude and approach of the tavern owners to this issue. In a press release headed "AHA distances itself from protest", they said:

The intended protest by the NFIB scheduled for today does not have the support of the Australian Hotels Association.

Mr Michael Capezio, President of the AHA ACT Branch said today "The AHA has made significant progress within the ACT Legislative Assembly on highlighting the plight of small hotels and taverns in the ACT.

"Today's political stunt by the NFIB-

supported by the Democrats, it seems-

is not going to-

have any effect.

I don't stint on whom I meet but I am incredibly busy. I am willing to repeat here and now, as loudly as it takes: no, there will not be poker machines in taverns.

Chief Minister

MRS DUNNE: Mr Speaker, we have already heard the Chief Minister express a great deal of hubris and his contempt for constituents. I would like to ask you, now that you have confirmed what Miss Ayson-

Mr Stanhope: Whom is the question to?

MRS DUNNE: It is to you. Had you listened, you would know this. We have now heard the Chief Minister confirm what Miss Ayson said on radio today, and we heard Ms MacDonald yesterday bemoaning the fact that it took the federal minister for communications some months to see a union. I want to ask about your record on meeting and representing people.

Is this the same Miss Ayson about whom, in August last year, you wrote to the former Chief Minister, castigating him for not seeing her at a meeting, after the previous Chief Minister had already seen her on two separate occasions? Is this the same Miss Ayson from the National Federation of Independent Businesses? Is this the same person?

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