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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 5 Hansard (7 May) . . Page.. 1604 ..

MRS CROSS (continuing):

I do not want to single out any particular party, individual or club with this bill. Both major parties receive sizeable donations from gaming machine licensees. However, to highlight the amounts paid out, this one instance clearly shows the type of money the community is missing out on. Figures from the ACT elections annual financial returns show that the Canberra Labor Club donated almost $800,000 to the ALP between 1997 and 2000.

Whilst this piece of legislation does not go as far as including the Gaming and Racing Commission's commendable recommendation 14 in its review of the Gaming Machine Act 1987, which mandates minimum contributions to community groups and welfare organisations, it does limit the freedom of clubs in how they distribute gaming machine revenue.

Donations to political parties or candidates do not benefit the community. Hence, a prohibition should be placed on this use of gaming machine revenue. This bill, the Gaming Machines (Political Donations) Amendment Bill 2003, does exactly that. I am sure that all members who have supported this principle in the past by allowing clubs to maintain their monopoly on gaming machines will be supportive of upholding it again. I encourage all members to support the Gaming Machine (Political Donations) Amendment Bill 2003.

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

Long Service Leave (Private Sector) Bill 2003

Mr Berry, pursuant to notice, presented the bill and its explanatory statement.

Title read by Clerk.

MR BERRY (10.37): I move:

The bill I introduce today is the Long Service Leave (Private Sector) Bill 2003. This bill, if successful, will deliver on a solemn promise made by Labor in 2001 that it would put in place such a scheme if it were elected. It is a bill to provide a long service leave scheme for private sector workers not already covered by schemes in the building and construction industry and the contract cleaning industry.

It will be an affordable scheme where the entitlements of workers are held in a secure fund to protect them against sharp business practices and company failures. Like the existing schemes, it will be managed by a tripartite board from government, business and the unions. This bill will not increase the private sector long service leave entitlement, but it will improve workers' access to it.

Mr Deputy Speaker, who will forget the faces of workers and their families affected by company collapses when their hard-earned entitlements evaporated in front of their eyes? I am reminded of this when I reflect upon the collapse of the Woodlawn mine and the years of struggle by those workers for recompense when they should have

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