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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 06 Hansard (Thursday, 24 June 2004) . . Page.. 2691 ..

MR QUINLAN (Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Business and Tourism, and Minister for Sport, Racing and Gaming) (6.06): Mr Speaker, the government believes that the provisions already in this bill ought to be given a chance, that the code of practice and other provisions of this bill ought to be given a chance. I really think that we should not get to the stage of deluding ourselves into believing that we know exactly the best cures. Certainly, I am a frequenter of a club and I use the ATM in the club. I happen to be a guy that works odd hours and it is often the only access that I have to an ATM at night.

I have not fully examined the Productivity Commission’s figures. I find them difficult to relate to, but I will not deny them. I know of so many people that use the ATM at my club of choice who play poker machines very occasionally and who would probably attend the ATM more than they would attend the machines. That includes me. Unlike Ms Dundas, I do not think that we should impose this sort of prohibition, to the detriment of the convenience of the vast bulk of members.

MR STEFANIAK (6.07): We will not be supporting the amendment, either. I note that clause 153 does make some provisions along the lines of what Ms Dundas is seeking to do in the first part of her amendment; but in relation especially to the ATMs, I tend to agree with both Mr Quinlan and Mrs Cross. I know quite a few people who for convenience and for safety reasons, especially elderly people, prefer to draw money out of an ATM in a club. Some of those people probably never play a poker machine and are not remotely interested in doing so.

Poker machine players are not the only people to benefit from the presence of ATMs in clubs. I suppose I have only ever got money out of an ATM at a club on two occasions in my life, but I am rare. I tend to go to a hole in the wall. Even that worries me at times, and I am a big bloke. I imagine that elderly people would find it particularly convenient to go into a club for a convivial drink and access one. They are probably not remotely interested in the poker machines, but wish to have this convenience there that outweighs some of the potential harm. Accordingly, we will not be supporting this amendment, either.

MS TUCKER (6.09): The Greens will be supporting this amendment. I think that it is a sensible measure because we know that the evidence clearly indicates that access to money is a serious issue. I think that there are ways of ensuring that people have access to what they need for their food and so on in a club without having an ATM there.

Amendment negatived.

Clause 153 agreed to.

Clauses 154 to 158, by leave, taken together and agreed to.

Clause 159 agreed to.

Motion (by Ms Dundas, by leave) agreed to:

That clause 159 be reconsidered.

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