Page 1139 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 29 May 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
The new section provides that the new part 3A energy industry levy of the Utilities Act is taxable under the Taxation Administration Act. The amendment is to rectify a typographical mistake and to ensure consistency. These are machinery matters of no particular moment.
Amendments agreed to.
Bill, as a whole, as amended, agreed to.
Bill, as amended, agreed to.
Standing orders—suspension
Motion (by Mr Stefaniak) agreed to, with the concurrence of an absolute majority:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent order of the day No 13, Private Members’ business, relating to the Gaming Machine Amendment Bill 2007, being called on forthwith.
Gaming Machine Amendment Bill 2007
Debate resumed from 2 May 2007, on motion by Mr Stefaniak:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Business and Economic Development, Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Minister for the Environment, Water and Climate Change, Minister for the Arts) (5.22): The government will be supporting this amendment to the Gaming Machine Act 2004. I note that the amendment was to be considered by the government later this year. It was proposed to include this change with a number of other small amendments to the act to enhance the legislation’s operation and to clarify a number of ambiguities.
In relation to the specific amendment which the opposition has brought forward, I understand that the original purpose of having the 12-month waiting period as part of the eligibility criteria for the holder of a general or an on-liquor licence when applying for a gaming machine licence was to provide additional comfort that the proposed gaming machine licensee was operating the business in a satisfactory and compliant manner. Upon reflection, the other eligibility criteria in the act are considered to sufficiently provide adequate scrutiny to assess prospective gaming machine licence applicants.
I can assure the Assembly that my government is not interested in having restrictions on businesses that do not serve a useful purpose. We are committed to a reduction in red tape where it is appropriate to do so. In this specific case, as I said earlier, the government was intending to include this proposed amendment at a later date with some other amendments which it has identified, but in this particular case to remove the 12-month waiting requirement for general and on-liquor licence holders. This will
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .