Page 3466 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 22 October 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MS BURCH: We are supporting the clubs in red tape reduction, as we are supporting many other industries across the ACT in streamlining their processes where we can. The clubs reform package includes specific measures to reduce unnecessary red tape and regulatory burden, in line with suggestions received from the industry as part of ClubsACT membership on the government’s red tape reduction panel.
The reforms alleviate unnecessary bureaucracy by abolishing gaming machine access registers, abolishing the requirement for approval of machine attendants, increasing licence terms for machine technicians, clarifying provisions relating to changing club constitutions, and allowing small clubs to pay their problem gambling assistance fund contributions on an annual basis in arrears.
In addition to having a positive impact on clubs, these reforms will result in greater efficiencies to government by allowing the Gambling and Racing Commission to focus on its key responsibilities. Further, the trading scheme is based on an open market approach with minimalist intervention by government in its operation.
Broader changes will be made to the licensing arrangements to allow the trading of machines to occur. These changes will not in any way compromise the integrity of regulatory arrangements or the harm minimisation framework. These changes have been in line with comments to me by clubs. Again I take the opportunity to say, and I hope this would be agreed by all in this place, that clubs are a valuable part of the community. They make contributions to many worthy groups within our community. I want to thank them for that because I know that they do well and that the community organisations they support certainly value their contributions.
Ms Gallagher: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Supplementary answers to questions without notice
OECD livable cities report
Health—bush healing farm
Disability services—parking permits
MS GALLAGHER: Yesterday Mr Coe asked me about the source of the data and whether the ACT government had provided data to the OECD report. I can confirm that the OECD collect their data from a range of official sources generally from the National Statistical Office and that the ACT government did not provide information to the OECD for the OECD report.
Mr Wall asked me a question about the Ngunnawal bush healing farm, around expenditure to date. I can confirm that the expenditure as at the end of September was $2.244 million, largely to do with the decontamination of that site.
In relation to the number—Mr Wall asked me today—of mobility permits, there are 16,822 mobility permits in operation at the moment. In relation to the question around the implementation of the new standards for mobility parking, disability parking, TAMS stopped retrofitting existing disability parking with the new standard, but all new parking is required to be built to the Australian standard.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video