Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 06 Hansard (Thursday, 24 June 2004) . . Page.. 2701 ..

As I think I said in my opening remarks earlier on this afternoon, during the in-principle debate, I am pleased to see the Labor Club—and let’s take that as a good example here—sponsoring quite a few good cultural events. I wonder whether that would continue if this clause were not reinserted. I have not heard of the Labor Club being unable to make these contributions. So nice try for taking it out but, on balance, the community benefit is served best if this is reinserted. I commend this amendment to the Assembly.

MR QUINLAN (Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Business and Tourism, and Minister for Sport, Racing and Gaming) (8.29): Mr Speaker, I have to say that this provision’s existence, from the time it was introduced into the bill—and it was done for no altruistic reasons at all but for purely political reasons—like it or not, has diminished all of us. It has diminished this place, because this place has on record a provision that is designed by nothing but political expediency, designed to do nothing more than limit, or try to limit, resources available to the Labor Party.

These resources are supplied through the Labor Club group which, quite proudly, wears the name Labor Club—no disguise. Everybody who goes into those places and supports those places knows that they are directly associated with the Labor Party. This is not a case of dollar for dollar; this is a case of an absolute penalty that is applied pretty well to one organisation, and we are all the lesser for it.

MRS CROSS (8.31): Mr Speaker, my biggest concern with this bill is with the government’s attempt to remove the dollar-for-dollar community contribution for donations made to political parties and, further, their attempts to remove reporting provisions relating to political parties. As I have always stated, I believe that venues with gaming machines should give back to the community.

We are fortunate, here in the ACT, in that most clubs put into the community above and beyond what is legislatively required back. To my mind, putting back into the community means giving money to social and welfare organisations, providing funding for community infrastructure and non-profit organisations, and supporting sporting and recreational activities. I do not believe giving to political parties is putting back into the community, and a political party is certainly not a community organisation.

While I accept that the tradesmen’s and Labor clubs exist to fund political parties, it must also be noted that these clubs contribute significantly to community problems such as problem gambling. I therefore believe that these licensees should put back into the community. This appears to be nothing—

Mr Quinlan: On an inequitable basis.

MRS CROSS: Mr Speaker!

MR SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Quinlan: You are talking crap.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Mrs Cross has the floor.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .