Page 5596 - Week 13 - Thursday, 17 November 2011
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will pay more. The one-third who will pay more represent the larger venues trading late past midnight where police resources are most needed. What we have now is a fairer fees structure which apportions fees in accordance with that evidence-based risk analysis. Why should we introduce uncertainty, which is what will occur from having this referral to a committee today?
Standing and temporary orders—suspension
Motion (by Mr Hargreaves) agreed to, with the concurrence of an absolute majority:
That so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent the Assembly completing its consideration of notice No 3, Assembly business, and the orders of the day, Assembly business, relating to the resumption of debate on the motion to take note of the Report of the Standing Committee on Privileges 2011 and the presentation of Report 7 of the Standing Committee on Education, Training and Youth Affairs.
MS GALLAGHER: The government has undertaken a substantive, exhaustive review of the liquor fees, has undertaken a rigorous analysis of the ACT liquor market using primary source liquor data obtained from key government agencies including ACT Policing, the ACT Treasury Directorate, the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the courts and from the key liquor regulator, the Office of Regulatory Services.
The government cannot support this motion, particularly given the already substantial consultation that has occurred with the community and the liquor industry and the rigorous, comprehensive review already undertaken by the government. I think Canberrans quite rightly believe that sufficient resources have been put into this area. To put additional resources into reviewing the review, I think, would be a waste of the Assembly’s time and the additional resources required. As I have said, the government will not be supporting this motion.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (5.26): The Greens will be supporting this motion today. We will be supporting it on a number of grounds. First and foremost, the establishment of this process will provide an opportunity for industry to share their views on how the new system is rolled out and also share their experiences. To give the stakeholders the opportunity to talk directly to the Assembly about that is valuable.
I certainly hear the point that the Chief Minister has just made around committing resources to this, but I think the overhaul of the Liquor Act was so substantial that there is some real value in us having that opportunity to have a formal engagement process with the stakeholders, particularly those who are applying the laws on a regular basis.
The Greens support the direction that the recent determination has gone in. It is a significant improvement on last year’s. I have made public comments that I felt that last year’s determination was a little blunt. This year’s determination goes some distance to improving that system. But that said, there is room for further improvement. This is an opportunity to do some of that work now, and do it in an early and timely manner so that it is well and truly done before next year’s determination.
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