Page 3598 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 27 October 2015
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that gambling prevalence in general and electronic gaming machine revenue in particular were decreasing in the ACT.
My colleagues on the committee have already made a number of comments about the nature of the committee’s inquiry and Mr Smyth in particular gave a good overview in his opening comments. So I will finish by thanking the members of the committee: Mr Smyth as the chair, Ms Porter, Ms Fitzharris and Mr Rattenbury; also the secretariat, Dr Andrea Cullen, Mr Andrew Snedden, Mr Greg Hall and Ms Lydia Chung.
Also I thank all those people and organisations that made submissions and those that appeared before the committee. The submissions ranged from opposition to gambling generally, perhaps to clubs as well, right through to those who were very much in support of clubs, and it was good for the committee to get that wide-ranging view. I reiterate my belief that the clubs in the ACT are a very valuable part of our community and their contribution to, in particular, many of the small groups and organisations in our community is invaluable.
MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (11.27): I will just speak briefly. It has been a really good debate. At the beginning of this year I think we were in a very difficult place with clubs and note acceptors and nominations. There was a lot of confusion and disruption over policies that had changed. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the committee on the work that they have done and, in particular, to congratulate Mr Smyth as the chair of the committee. In many ways the decision to move that this committee be established to look at not just the issue of poker machines but also the broader impact and role of clubs in our community has been very important. I take this opportunity to say well done to the committee for the work that they have done and to come to a point where, although there may not be 100 per cent agreement, the tripartisan nature of what has been presented is good. It is useful. It demonstrates that the committee system here can work and that, when it does work, it works very well.
But it is a difficult space and we do not shy away from the fact that the Labor Party owning the Labor clubs is a vexed issue. It is good that that has not clouded this report and the goodwill shown through this committee towards the club sector. Again, I just want to quickly say congratulations to the committee and particularly Mr Smyth, who in many ways instigated this process and clearly led the committee to this point where we have a result that I think takes us forward when it comes to our club sector here in the ACT. I would hope all of us acknowledge that that is a very important part of our community.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (11.29), in reply: To close the debate: Mr Rattenbury got to it before I did because trying to get 46 recommendations into 15 minutes proved to be a task. I am referring to page vii and then subsequent pages of the recommendations. The committee’s conclusions and key findings I think are very important. I would acknowledge that it was Ms Fitzharris’s suggestion that this one go in. It sets out a process that says that we want clubs to be here, that we appreciate the contribution they make in improving the social capital and the wellbeing of the people of the ACT and that we are all aware that they are or have been heavily reliant on
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