Page 3961 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 25 November 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The bill makes minor amendments to the Gaming Machine Act that are designed to reduce unnecessary regulatory burden without reducing necessary regulatory oversight of this industry. An example of this can be seen in clause 13, section 71, whereby the bill removes the requirement for a licensee to maintain machine access registers and instead replaces them with access registers on the computer cabinets. We are advised by the explanatory statement that this is the more effective point at which to monitor access to gaming machine equipment.
The bill will also lengthen the licence period for gaming machine technicians, similar to recent extensions of licensing periods for casino employees and sports bookmakers that this Assembly has also passed.
The bill does seek to reduce administrative burden by allowing small clubs to pay their required contribution into the problem gambling assistance fund on an annual basis, and in arrears, rather than through the current monthly payment. This change comes with appropriate reporting obligations for the racing and gaming commission, who will be required to identify in their annual report which licensees chose to pay in annual arrears and clearly reflect all such payments. I consider this adequate to preserve the integrity of the problem gambling assistance fund with regard to these changes.
The bill is one part of Minister Burch’s gaming machine reform package. I look forward to seeing the further legislation that she has flagged that will result in a substantive decrease in the number of poker machines in the territory. I understand that legislation is due early next year, and I am looking forward to seeing any further steps come in the package that Minister Burch has outlined.
MS BURCH (Brindabella—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Disability, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Racing and Gaming, Minister for Women and Minister for the Arts) (11.54), in reply: The Gaming Machine (Red Tape Reduction) Amendment Bill 2014, introduced in October, proposes changes to the Gaming Machine Act 2004.
The bill has the effect of implementing stage 1 of the gaming machine reform package. Stage 1 includes red tape reduction provisions that support the ongoing viability of the club sector. It aims to minimise unnecessary administrative and regulatory burdens imposed on licensed gaming machine operators.
A key objective of the bill is to strike a balance between minimising red tape measures for industry and providing flexibility while at the same time ensuring that the regulatory framework remains robust and minimising harm to problem gamblers and other vulnerable people.
The bill has been developed with appropriate and proportionate powers to achieve these objectives.
Specifically, the bill will repeal a number of requirements, including the need for gaming machine access registers and unnecessary approval requirements for the relocation of gaming machines.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video