Page 3176 - Week 10 - Thursday, 15 August 2013
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MS BURCH (Brindabella—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Disability, Children and Young People, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Women, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Racing and Gaming) (7.37): The ACT Gambling and Racing Commission is a statutory authority that has the function of regulating and monitoring gambling activities in the ACT. This covers gaming machines, the casino, racing and sports, bookmakers, interactive gambling and minor gaming such as lotteries. The commission has an essential role as a regulator, ensuring that all gaming taxes and fees are paid in a correct and timely manner and ensuring that licences comply with the various statutory provisions so that gaming activity is conducted fairly and is free from criminal influence.
Importantly, the commission must also promote the public interest by protecting consumers and reducing the risks and costs of problem gambling to individuals in the community. In order to achieve this and to keep itself informed, the commission conducts research on the social effects of gambling and has developed excellent results and partnerships with the work through the ANU. The commission’s role in this area involves community education and providing a counselling service, as has been mentioned by Mr Smyth, through Mission Australia.
While not technically in gaming and racing, I would like to refer to some elements of interest through the Gaming and Racing Commission. The ACT government is working closely with the three racing codes in Canberra to advance the outstanding recommendations made by the ICRC in a report to the racing industry and exploring opportunities for establishing a single administrative body for these three codes and co-locating the racing venues as a key priority.
Through this budget, we have delivered $250,000 to investigate co-location opportunities for harness, thoroughbred and greyhound racing at a single site. Given the proximity to Thoroughbred Park, this investigation will also consider Exhibition Park in Canberra and the Canberra Riding Club in the context of capital metro.
The co-location could provide an opportunity to optimise the use of capital infrastructure and future capital expenditure in the racing and exhibition sectors, as well as freeing up some parcels of land for future residential and mixed use development. This work is being progressed in close consultation with the Canberra racing clubs themselves.
There is another budget line that I refer to as “Horsefest”. This is $100,000 for the development of Horsefest next year, an equine event proposed to be held at Canberra Exhibition Park. We are working very closely with the Canberra Harness Racing Club, and I have to say that there was significant public interest when that election commitment was announced. We all know that Canberra has got probably the highest horse ownership of most communities. I expect that will be quite a successful event for all the people who love their horses.
Proposed expenditure agreed to.
Proposed expenditure—Part 1.18—ACT Public Cemeteries Authority—$294,000 (capital injection), totalling $294,000.
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