Page 1765 - Week 05 - Thursday, 10 May 2018
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of the boundary of the casino by a gaming machine licensee that is related to the casino licensee will be subject to the same harm minimisation measures as casino gaming machines.
The Canberra community should be reassured that there are harm minimisation measures in place for gaming machines at the casino and in the surrounding precinct. And this bill contributes to the government’s comprehensive harm minimisation approach to the industry. We will be reducing the maximum number of gaming machine authorisations in the territory to 4,000 by 2020.
As announced at the start of April, the government has commissioned an independent expert, Mr Neville Stevens AO, to undertake a club industry diversification support analysis to identify opportunities to support clubs to voluntarily surrender authorisations and to diversify their businesses to reduce reliance on gaming machine revenue. Mr Stevens is a former Commonwealth Secretary to the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, and the Department of Industry. He brings a wealth of experience and understanding in progressing significant reform within a regulated industry. A report will be provided to government by 31 May 2018, after which the government will consider the recommendations made in his report and announce the pathway to reach 4,000 gaming machine authorisations in the territory.
Legislation prior to the 2016 election had set a cap of 15 gaming machine authorisations per 1,000 adults in the territory. That legislation was due to commence in August this year. The amendment to the Gaming Machine (Reform) Amendment Act 2015 in this bill, the commencement of the population-based ratio, is delayed for a further 12 months. The provisions around the population-based cap will be removed when the government brings forward legislation to reach the goal of 4,000 authorisations overall.
As a package, this bill represents a commitment to transparency in decisions about the gaming industry. It represents a focus on regulating the industry in a way that secures benefits for the whole community, while protecting against the impact of problem gambling. This government will keep working to promote renewal, redevelopment and to deliver on our promise of new and stronger harm minimisation rules. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Parton) adjourned to the next sitting.
Children and Young People Amendment Bill 2018
Ms Stephen-Smith, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.
Title read by Clerk.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH (Kurrajong—Minister for Community Services and Social Inclusion, Minister for Disability, Children and Youth, Minister for Aboriginal and
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