Page 4246 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 22 September 2010
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gambling, will ensure extra funding is available under a range of broader measures to tackle the problem.
Given the high proportion of problem gamblers who are young adults, this would include, we expect, raising awareness amongst school students about the risks of gambling. Lifeline Canberra believes it is essential that, before they leave school, young people have an understanding of problem gambling and know how to gamble responsibly. Just as we educate our young people about drug and alcohol abuse, we need to educate them about the dangers of gambling.
Young people are overrepresented in the numbers of people identified in the ACT as having an issue. In addition, research by Lifeline shows that young people are more vulnerable to developing problems. They do gamble and are less likely to seek professional assistance. This is clearly an area in the ACT where more needs to be done.
As I said earlier, many clubs contribute in excess of the present seven per cent required for community contributions. In 2008-09, this contribution across all clubs was 13.97 per cent, or $13.78 million. However, 70.1 per cent, or $9.66 million, of this was directed to sport and recreation activities; 15.4 per cent, or $2.12 million, was directed to non-profit activities; and a mere 2.95 per cent, or $407,516, of this community contribution was directed to problem gambling—$407,516 out of $13.78 million to address a major issue affecting over 42,000 people in our community.
The financial impact of the change we are proposing is not significant. It merely requires that gaming machine licence holders direct a small, set percentage of gaming machine revenue each year to an area where demand is increasing, and this will give a secure funding and administrative basis for those tackling problem gambling.
There are a variety of community benefit levies or schemes in other jurisdictions that all make a contribution from gaming revenue. And some of the community benefit funds are specifically for problem gambling assistance, while others are for community support more generally, for example, sport and charities, as well as, as I said, problem gambling.
In New South Wales, clubs and hotels receive a tax rebate of up to 1.5 per cent, provided they contribute an equivalent amount to community development and support. Two per cent of New South Wales casino gaming revenue is also paid into the responsible gambling fund.
In Queensland, in 2009-10, $4.9 million from clubs will fund 14 face-to-face gambling help services, a residential treatment program and a gambling helpline. In Victoria, 8.33 per cent of revenue from hotel gaming machines is paid to the community support fund for community and problem gambling services.
In Western Australia, the casino contributes to problem gambling support services. In South Australia, the casino, clubs and hotels contribute. And in the Northern Territory, the hotels and clubs also make community contributions.
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