Page 3325 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 19 August 2009
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Mr Seselja has raised concerns in this place about the commission’s ability to do its job independently. I think it is important that the Assembly reaffirm their support of the commission and the job that it does as the independent regulator of the gaming law in the ACT. It is the proper authority to investigate any allegations pertaining to any matter on gaming in the ACT. If there has been a breach of the Gaming Machine Act, then the commission will reveal it. That is where the matter should rest.
MS HUNTER (Ginninderra—Parliamentary Convenor, ACT Greens) (11.52): I move:
Omit paragraphs (2) to (5), substitute:
“(2) requests the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission:
(a) investigate claims made in The Canberra Times and The Australian newspapers regarding a possible breach of the Gaming Machine Act 2004 in relation to the proposed sale of assets by Canberra Labor Club Limited;
(b) have tabled in the Assembly the full findings of an investigation into the claims, should an investigation be pursued and completed; and
(c) provide to the Assembly reasons why it may decide it does not have sufficient grounds to conduct an investigation into the claims, if it finds that to be so.”.
The Greens believe that the concerns raised in the Canberra Times and the Australian newspapers with regard to possible breaches of the Gaming Machine Act 2004 need to be investigated first through the established formal body of the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission. The commission exists to regulate gambling and racing activities in accordance with ACT gaming laws and ensure that persons and organisations conducting gambling and racing activities in the ACT are suitable to conduct these activities.
The Greens are very concerned about the allegations raised in the media with regard to a possible sale of assets by the Canberra Labor Club Ltd and whether the decision process regarding a possible sale may have been influenced by outside sources. With such serious concerns raised by two large reputable media agencies, the Greens believe that there needs to be a further investigation into these matters.
The Greens acknowledge several parts of the Liberal Party’s motion: that there is a broad understanding and acceptance that the provision of gaming machine licences and subsequent profits are intended to be for the benefit of the community and that the intent of gaming licences and legislation governing gaming machine licences is to ensure that profits from gaming machines stay with the community.
We also acknowledge that sections of the Gaming Machine Act 2004 prohibit clubs that operate gaming machines being under the influence of outside parties. However, aspects of the motion refer to unsubstantiated claims that are yet to be investigated. As I stated earlier in the week, the Greens are looking to the ACT Gambling and Racing
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