Page 3223 - Week 07 - Thursday, 1 July 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The government and the industry are working on developing a memorandum of understanding to be signed by the government and the three racing clubs. I envisage the MOU will outline the funding arrangements for the 2010-11 financial year and forward years of the budget. It will provide a strong basis of accountability and understanding between the government and the industry.
Central to the MOU will be a racing industry review. That review will look at a number of aspects of the racing industry, including the appropriate allocation of funding between the three racing codes. It is anticipated this review will be undertaken in this financial year. That said, the actual timing of the review will be principally dictated by how quickly the terms of reference can be agreed by the racing clubs and the government. It will also depend on the time necessary for the reviewer to analyse the data available on the impact of the new funding arrangements, including the race field product fee system.
This time last year the Canberra Liberals voted against funding measures for Canberra’s racing industry. They then spent six months arguing for more money for the racing industry. Much that defines ACT politics was summed up by the politics of the racing funding debate. Here was the Labor government engaged in a serious discussion with industry, protecting revenue, working within a fiscal strategy and taking into account the interests of the whole community. And there was the Liberal opposition, scaremongering in private, offering to spend anything, blowing the budget bottom line and interested only in a short-term political win.
I said many times that I am not an automatic teller machine. But the opposition said, “I have a blank mind; here is a blank cheque.” To put it another way, I agree with our new Prime Minister when she said, “I believe in a government that rewards those who work the hardest, not those who complain the loudest.” I think the people of Canberra do too, but we know that our opponents do not.
I commend to the Assembly the investments in this budget. But, as in so many areas of public policy, the rule holds: no investment without reform. The commitments in the budget represent a balanced outcome, a workable compromise that acknowledges the importance of the industry while delivering significant structural reform through an incentive-based model. I look forward to their passage through the Assembly.
In relation the Gambling and Racing Commission, they will be pursuing a number of strategic and operational priorities in 2010-11. Ms Hunter referred to a particularly important one, the commission’s community education program in relation to problem gambling. But they will also continue to implement legislative changes to the various gaming laws, which we will see in the next financial year; to enhance the effectiveness of their compliance program on a continual risk assessment basis; and assess the findings and recommendations of the relevant gambling research projects in relation to compliance and policy issues.
I might just take a moment to touch on one important aspect of gambling regulation in the territory and that is the compulsory community contribution element. This is the cornerstone of our approach to regulating gambling in the territory. The Gaming Machine Act 2004 provides that the commission may approve contributions made by
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video