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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 05 Hansard (Friday, 14 May 2004) . . Page.. 2111 ..

Under the new legislation the Gaming Machine Act continues as the primary legislation for controlling all aspects of gaming machine operations in the ACT and the Commission remains responsible for licensing and regulating gaming machine operations.

Mr Speaker, several issues arising from the Government’s response to the review have already been brought forward and dealt with by this Assembly. Briefly, those issues concerned Class B gaming machines for taverns, social impact assessments for all applications for new gaming machine licences and the reintroduction of the incentive scheme for contributions to women’s sport.

Also, the cap on the number of gaming machines in the ACT was again set at 5200 for a further 12 months to 30 June 2005. This will allow time for the Commission to put in place any new processes and procedures that may be required and to provide for information and education sessions for relevant stakeholders on matters arising from this Bill.

Mr Speaker, this Bill proposes a range of other significant measures that would enhance the regulation of the ACT’s gaming machines.

This new legislation expands on the recent amendment that requires a social impact assessment for all new gaming machine licence applications. Under this legislation a social impact assessment will accompany all applications for additional gaming machines as well as to accompany an application by a licensee to relocate their operations to new premises. This broader requirement would ensure that all aspects of an application for gaming machines would be comprehensively assessed and the community would have an opportunity to comment on the proposals.

Mr Speaker, it is recognised that there is a risk some clubs may be established without being bona fide clubs. The eligibility criteria for a gaming machine licence for a club needs to ensure eligibility only remains with those venues that are genuinely not-for-profit.

I believe this Bill achieves a better regulatory outcome by reducing the potential and the ability for some unscrupulous individuals to personally profit from the proceeds of gaming machine operations. This Bill proposes reforms to increase the transparency of operations of club gaming machine licensees and enable the Commission to more closely investigate the bona fides of applicants.

Mr Speaker, the Gaming Machine Act currently requires gaming machine licensees to make specified community contributions. The Act then outlines broad purposes that the community contributions must meet to be eligible and specifies some contributions as not being eligible. The Act also specifies the amount of contributions that are required to be made by licensees that are clubs as well as the records to be kept and the reporting requirements.

Mr Speaker, under the current Act, donations by licensed clubs to registered parties, associated entities, Members of the Legislative Assembly and candidates are specifically excluded from being recognised as eligible community contributions. In addition, donations of this kind have separate reporting requirements and result in a commensurate increase in the level of required community contributions that must be made by licensed clubs.

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