Gaming Machines Amendment (Shutdown Periods) Bill
Page: 1196
Second Reading
Debate adjourned from 7 May.
Mr SOURIS (Upper Hunter) [7.32 p.m.]: I have the pleasure of leading for the Opposition in debate on the Gaming Machines (Shutdown Periods) Bill. I indicate at the outset that the Opposition supports this bill. It is timely to reflect on the brief history relating to gaming machine shutdown periods. The Gaming Machines Act 2001, which commenced on 2 April 2002, required gaming machines to be shut down for a period of three hours, between 6.00 a.m. and 9.00 a.m., with an automatic extension on 1 May 2003 to six hours—a period between 4.00 a.m. and 10.00 a.m. The Coalition has always believed that the general harm minimisation that ought to apply to gaming machines—not only the shutdown period but also other measures such as reel speeds, prize denominations, cheque payments for prizes exceeding $1,000, maximum bet denominations, liquor accords and other measures—should be determined using an evidence-based approach.
The Coalition's policy, which was publicly enunciated on many occasions prior to the last election, was to conduct an evidence-based review of the existing three-hour shutdown period prior to extending or not extending that shutdown period to six hours. As that measure has been in operation for about 18 months there would have been sufficient evidence—and there would have been ample time—to conduct a review of the impacts or benefits of a shutdown period extending beyond three hours and to consider harm minimisation aspects. The Government's view, which was stated publicly on a number of occasions in the lead-up to the election, was not to agree to a review but to proceed on 1 May with the automatic extension of that shutdown period, which has now come to pass.
The Government, which decided to consider the question afresh after the election, decided to conduct a broad evidence-based review of general harm minimisation in poker machine practice. The Government publicly stated its intention to conduct an evidence-based review of poker machines and harm minimisation generally, although that represents a rather radical change of position to the position it held prior to the last election. Prior to the last election the Australian Labor Party's position essentially was completely prohibitionist. Subsequently, it gave its consent for an evidence-based review—the best and most balanced approach to consider the impacts and benefits of this shutdown period. I would be interested to see the terms of reference of such an evidence-based review.
I understand, after discussions with the Minister and his staff, that the Minister is agreeable to that course of action. When the Minister replies to debate on this bill I ask him to inform honourable members about the draft terms of reference for an evidence-based review that might be able to be conducted prior to the completion of this legislation in the other place. A harm minimisation review is supported by Opposition members, but we need to see the terms of reference of that review. Although that issue is not specifically covered in this bill, it does refer to harm minimisation. I ask the Government to enable that exposure.
I thank the Government and, in particular, the Minister, for their co-operative approach. The Minister negotiated with Opposition members in relation to all these issues. I also commend those three ministerial staff members with whom I have had had dealings over the past few weeks to reach this quite reasonable position. As I said earlier, the Opposition will support this bill in general terms. The Government intends to amend paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 40 (3)—issues about which I and members of the industry are concerned. The Government said that the operation of paragraphs (a) and (b) would have served to negate the purpose of this bill. The Opposition will support the amendment that the Minister foreshadowed he would be moving in Committee.
The greater role that local government has had to play as a consequence of the initial legislation has come to light since the State election. I agree with the Government's position and with that of local government that local government should not have to find its own path and decide whether to attach a recommendation to an application by a hotel or club for an exemption in respect of financial viability and hardship or the establishment's historical opening hours pattern. I think it is asking too much of local government to expect it to have sufficient resources to perform this function properly. The pressure applied to local government from a council gallery stacked with people for or against an application might lead to a skewed decision. It is an abrogation of the Government's responsibility in this area to shift the decision-making function to local government. The Government, Opposition and local government agree that that role should be removed.
This debate has exposed what guidelines should apply in the assessment of applications from the Liquor Administration Board. My principal concern in this area has always been the content of those guidelines. I do not believe it is good legislative practice for the Opposition to pass a bill carte blanche, leaving the guidelines to be determined by ministerial fiat. I have had many discussions about the guidelines with the Minister and his staff and I understand that the Minister is prepared to lay upon the table those guidelines that the Liquor Administration Board will use to determine applications for exemptions. I felt that those guidelines presented to me initially as the final guidelines did not take account of the impact of the extended shutdown period after 1 May 2003. So I presented my concerns to the Minister.
I was also concerned that the guideline seeking cost recovery in addition to an application fee could result in a blank cheque. A club or hotel that makes an application on the grounds of hardship may find the prospect of a cost recovery imposition of several thousand dollars for assessment or investigation impossible. That would seem to be an unnecessary impediment on a club that is already suffering hardship. It also abrogates the Government's responsibility to make assessments. It should not seek recompense for its role as government. After all, the Government's legislation has created this applications regime and it is properly the responsibility of government to assess it. I understand that the guidelines that the Minister intends to table will address those concerns.
While debating this bill I think it is timely to consider whether prohibition reduces harm. It will be up to the evidence-based review to determine that.. It is essentially the role of government and industry to identify problem gamblers and to put measures in place to assist them. That role involves identification, counselling services and other harm minimisation measures. I am generally concerned that overregulation and excessive prohibition may lead to a proliferation of alternative gambling establishments, including underground gaming venues, and therefore prove to be worse than counterproductive by creating a black market gambling industry that does not allow for problem gambling identification or access to counselling and harm minimisation measures. We, as legislators, must ensure that in taking a prima facie prohibitionist approach we do not create an even greater underground problem. Some anomalies exist in this area. For example, it is a joke to deem veterans to be at risk if they play a poker machine early on Anzac Day in the period between the dawn service and the traditional march. The Government should address that anomaly. The previous Minister promised to resolve the matter but failed to do so.
In considering this bill I have sought opinions and input from a number of stakeholders, including Clubs New South Wales and the Australian Hotels Association. I have had many consultations and communications on these sorts of topic since I became the shadow Minister for Gaming and Racing. I also consulted briefly with the Local Government and Shires Associations to confirm that local government believes it should not properly have a role in these matters. I also benefited from speaking to Mr Paul Symond of the BetSafe consultancy, who said:
There is no evidence to suggest that the proposed reduction in hours will have any effect on the issue of problem gambling. This argument is also flawed by the assumption that problem gamblers gamble at that time of the morning. Anecdotally we have been asking those people we counsel for a gambling addiction whether such a closure would have any effect on their gambling—the overwhelming response is NO.
His response related to the proposed extension not the initial three-hour shutdown. The overwhelming weight of opinion was that the initial three-hour shutdown would be beneficial but that expanding the period would yield no perceptible benefits. I also took the opportunity of speaking to Reverend Chester Carter of the Wesley Mission, who said that he would prefer the proposed system of exemption applications providing for the three-hour shutdown to remain immune. However, he also expressed the view that the Liquor Administration Board should become more active in policing any venues so exempted, and I agree. When exemptions are granted, follow-up reviews should be undertaken to ensure that all obligations are being met.
I acknowledge that the clubs and hotels industry has made considerable progress over the years in introducing harm minimisation measures. One needs only to contrast the present situation with that which prevailed a decade or only five or six years ago to see that the industry is very serious about its operations, practices and its image. It is also serious about the most important issue of harm minimisation, which goes hand in hand with the equally serious approach it adopted to the responsible service of alcohol. It is worth recording that we are all grateful to the industry for providing an organised and responsible venue for recreation for our citizens, both young and senior. It would be remiss to conclude without pointing out that credit ought to be paid where it is due to the industry for its remarkably good progress in recent years. I commend the bill.
Mr GIBSON (Blacktown) [7.50 p.m.]: I support the Gaming Machines Amendment (Shutdown Periods) Bill. I congratulate the Minister for Gaming and Racing on the fine job he is doing. I understand that the Minister and the Government intend to ensure that any applicant seeking an exemption fully complies with all harm minimisation measures contained within the current legislation. I am not yet fully convinced that a shutdown for either three or six hours will work. We do not suggest that the TAB should run one or two fewer meetings a week, or that NSW Lotteries should have only one Lotto draw a week instead of two. The industry and the Government have accepted their responsibility to problem gamblers with this six-hour closedown. At the end of the day the new shutdown will be evaluated.
Consideration could also be given to any additional measures that a club or a pub may have before an exemption is granted, to which the honourable member for Upper Hunter referred. Some measures provided under the existing legislation include player information brochures that must be displayed in gaming machine areas to help players understand the nature of gaming machines and their chances of winning a prize on them. Also, each gaming machine must carry a gambling warning notice and a notice, advising players of where to get help for gambling problems. A notice must be displayed in gaming machine areas in clubs and hotels to advise players of the chances of winning a major prize on a gaming machine.
Cheques of more than $400 cannot be cashed, and cashing third party cheques is prohibited in hotels and clubs unless an exemption applies. Prize amounts of more than $1,000 must be paid by cheque payable to the prize winner, or by electronic funds transfer. If requested by the player, the amount of a prize under $1,000 must be paid by cheque or electronic funds transfer. They are great harm minimisation measures. There must not be automatic teller machines or electronic funds transfer terminals in areas where gaming machines are located.
All club and hotel managers and staff whose duties involve the conduct of gaming machine activities must have completed an approved responsible conduct of gaming course. It is important to educate the people who serve in hotels and clubs. A self-exclusion scheme must be available to members and patrons. Clubs and hotels must have arrangements with a service provider in place for the provision of problem gambling counselling services for members and patrons. Responsible gaming legislation in New South Wales has also provided for a cap of 104,000 gaming machines, including a cap on the maximum number of gaming machines allowed in any club or hotel; a transferable gaming machine entitlement scheme for clubs and hotels, allowing entitlements to be traded with the club and hotel sectors, but requiring the forfeiture of one entitlement for every three or less traded; and a social impact assessment process for gaming machine applications.
The industry as a whole has accepted these measures. Legislation has also provided for a ban on gaming machine advertising, signage and other material which may be seen from outside clubs and hotels, and restrictions on gaming machine-related promotions and player loyalty systems. Pubs have also stepped up to the mark in terms of tackling the issue of problem gamblers. The President of the Australian Hotels Association [AHA], Mr John Thorpe, is in the gallery. That is a demonstration of the extent of industry interest in this legislation, and other legislation. In December 1999 the AHA was one of the first industry groups in Australia to appoint a full-time problem gambling counsellor, and so is very aware of that problem. The AHA is a world leader in harm minimisation. The AHA looks forward to the evidence from this six-hour shutdown trial.
In November 2000 the AHA also introduced: a GameChange Program, which aims to assist both patrons and local hoteliers through the operation of a 24-hour toll-free service across New South Wales, allowing people to gain information about a self-exclusion program, which has been used by more than 700 people; a counselling referral service, by which GameChange refers problem gamblers to the Casino Community Benefit Fund services; and a hotelier education program to raise awareness amongst hoteliers of what constitutes a safe and responsible gaming environment.
Part of the problem is that if the media has a slow day or week it is easy for it to target hotels and clubs and start throwing stones at them. Hotels and clubs put considerable resources back into the community, and in many country towns they help knit the community into one unit. If hotels and clubs disappeared from many small towns, the towns would collapse. In many areas local town halls have closed down and in their place club halls are used by the community. It is important that people who run hotels and clubs educate their community, because quite often the industry has been badly treated by the media.
The AHA regularly commissions research into gambling-related issues and is currently assessing the effectiveness of the GameChange Program in conjunction with Macquarie University and many other leaders. We need to encourage owners of pubs and clubs to follow this lead and be socially responsible. For a long time I have said that hotels and clubs do not tell the real tale about what they do, and how beneficial they are for the local community. By creating clear and transparent guidelines for any exemption to reduce the shutdown from six hours to three hours, the Government seeks to ensure that pubs and clubs act socially and responsibly. This bill is about providing socially responsible policies. We need to ensure that applications for exemptions are based on hardship or prior trading history and that exemptions are granted only to operators who are socially responsible. By creating guidelines, this can be achieved. Statistics show that probably one-third of adults in New South Wales are members of clubs, and hotels and clubs provide employment to hundreds of thousands of people. I commend the bill to the House.
Mr STEWART (Bankstown—Parliamentary Secretary) [7.58 p.m.]: I support the Gaming Machines Amendment (Shutdown Periods) Bill. Along with my colleague the honourable member for Blacktown, I congratulate the Minister for Gaming and Racing on his appointment. He has already put in a lot of time and has earned the respect of local communities. He has worked closely with clubs and pubs. I am sure that as a result we will see some real dividends—no pun intended—in the momentum and direction that we take with this important industry.
On 26 July 2001 the Carr Government announced its plan for gaming reform in New South Wales. This is a very contentious matter, one that has resulted in a lot of debate and scrutiny. As part of the plan, clubs and hotels were required to close down gaming machines for a period of six hours each day. The first three-hour shutdown commenced on 1 April. From 1 May 2003, as history shows, in line with the legislation, the shutdown increased from three hours to the full six hours, from 4.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. The reason for this is that the Government is exploring ways to achieve harm minimisation of problem gambling. We all know that problem gambling is an issue, one that has been the subject of fairly significant debate. But, to put it into perspective, we need to carefully explore methods of dealing with this problem and, at the end of the day, carefully analyse its effects.
Under the current legislation, clubs and hotels can apply to have the shutdown period on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays reduced to three hours, from 6.00 a.m. to 9.00 a.m. That is a very significant concession, given the way this legislation operates. It recognises the needs and importance of the industry, and it is subject to providing proof of the application's worthiness and subject to the agreement of the local consent authority. Also, clubs and hotels that can satisfy the Liquor Administration Board that they had a history of trading as "early openers" prior to 1997 are permitted to apply for a different closure period. That has already happened.
Since the introduction of the three-hour shutdown period, ClubsNSW and the Australian Hotels Association have reported that some members are experiencing financial difficulties as a result of the shutdown. I again acknowledge the presence this evening of John Thorpe, President of the Australian Hotels Association, in the public gallery. I applaud John Thorpe, an excellent President of the AHA who has taken a very keen interest in the industry, as is demonstrated by his presence tonight to hear the debate on this important issue. The industry needs such people to proactively explore ways and means of dealing with community concerns about problem gambling. That is central to this bill.
The Liquor Trades Division of the Licensed Hotels and Motels Association has also expressed concerns about some of the impacts of this legislation. Further, some local councils have indicated their unwillingness, or lack of expertise, to determine gaming machine shutdown exemptions. The requirement to gain local authority agreement is in contrast with section 209 of the Gaming Machines Act, which removes any power from local consent authorities to regulate or restrict gaming machine operations through development consents or other planning powers. Councils, particularly those that operate in a manner similar to that of Arcadia Waters—which had a matter of infamous proportion, for those with an interest in grassroots style politics—are hardly the place to deal with the determination of exemption applications.
Gambling addiction issues are complex. That is why this Government, along with the industry, wants to tackle these concerns proactively and determinedly but in a way that delivers a win for community need and a win for the industry, which is a very large and responsible employer. Currently, with no guidelines in place, there is too much risk of inconsistent decision-making by councils across New South Wales on this most important social issue. In fact, decision-making has become fairly ad hoc: some councils have a grasp of the issue, some do not. An independent process that can draw on experts as necessary to determine any exemption application is the appropriate way forward. Clubs and hotels are important features of Australian culture, predominantly so in New South Wales. These industries provide significant employment. It is entirely appropriate that hardship exemptions be created so that such features as a club's liability, service provision and level of employment are not unduly impacted upon.
Following these issues being brought to the attention of the new Minister, the amendment before the House was crafted. The aim of the bill is to retain the six-hour shutdown period, which commenced on 1 May this year. It is proposed that the legislation be amended to provide that clubs and hotels may apply to the Liquor Administration Board—as opposed to councils—for exemption on hardship grounds from the six-hour shutdown, and seek instead the three-hour shutdown. That is a very important avenue that clubs and hotels may now pursue.
Another aim of the bill is to develop guidelines for exemptions to shutting down gaming machines for more than three hours per day, in consultation with industry and community representatives. A further aim is to remove local councils from the approval process for each exemption to shut down gaming machine operations for only three hours per day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, and to establish a clear and consistent set of guidelines for such applications.
It is the correct step to have the Liquor Administration Board consider such applications along with the use of guidelines, rather than the current situation that gives councils the major determining role. As I have said, problems have arisen from the current decision-making process because some councils have been largely ad hoc. The Government is seeking a more consistent process, one which, very importantly, falls in line with industry needs and embraces industry involvement. This process should be free from politics and placed in the hands of the Liquor Administration Board. The process will be tough, but it will be fair.
The Minister for Gaming and Racing has also committed to conducting a major review of gambling harm minimisation measures, including a full review of the impact of the six-hour shutdown, with full community consultation over the 12 months of the review. I urge the Minister to look carefully at the operation of the six-hour shutdown regime. There is mixed opinion about how effective it will prove to be. We all want to deal with problem gambling, and clubs and hotels regard themselves as very accountable in that process. They have been at the forefront of investigating ways to deal with harm minimisation measures, taking opportunities available to them that are tangible, such as putting on counsellors, and seeking to identify other measures they can take to deal with the very small proportion of the community—less than 3 per cent—who are problem gamblers. The fact is that we do have a number of problem gamblers, and they need to be dealt with. In my opinion, the only way that can be done effectively is by clubs and hotels taking ownership of the issue. That is what they have done successfully over a period of years now, working in partnership with each other.
I am very confident that, along with the Government measures that the Minister is implementing, we are on a very successful path to dealing with harm minimisation and achieving tangible results in this great industry. The industry does a lot for our communities. The Bankstown District Sports Club is a great example of a truly community-oriented club that has worked hard over the years to deliver for the local community, not just in sport but in social realms as well.
In the last year alone it has made grants to, inter alia, Youth Off the Streets—a very famous Father Riley charity—which received $20,000; the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter, which received $20,000; Bankstown City Aged Care Limited, which received $150,000; Bass Hill High School, which received $30,000; Disability Services Australia, which received $50,000; the Ozanam Villa, Home for the Aged, run by St Vincent de Paul, which received $20,000; Bankstown-Auburn Home Care Support, which received $11,850; DRUG-ARM Drug Awareness and Relief Movement, a very proactive organisation, which received $23,507; Bankstown Lidcombe Hospital, our own local hospital and one that we are very proud of, which received $50,000—making a total of $373,000 that the club has given the hospital over the past four years; the Sydney South West Area Health Research Foundation, which received $47,500; Bankstown Girls High School, which received $40,000; St Brendan's Primary School, a good local school, which received $20,000; and the Commonwealth Games Athletes Fund, which received $10,000.
They are just some of the donations this club has made to its community. Added to those, of course, is the support that a lot of local hotels have given to community groups. Arthur Laundy, a well-known local publican, has given generously to my local community. The Greenacre Chamber of Commerce has benefited because he owns a hotel in the Greenacre area and always looks after their community interests. Arthur Laundy has pursued opportunities and done things without any fanfare or media coverage. For example, a local elderly woman could no longer go shopping because she was unable to walk. Arthur Laundy, very quietly, bought her a motorised cart. She now uses it daily to go shopping. It has also boosted her morale and quality of life. She has reclaimed some dignity and is now able to do things. They are the sorts of things that people in the industry are doing for our community, and I applaud them for it. The industry is about more than pursuing gaming revenue. The communities of which these people are a part are the beneficiaries of this industry. They are true community representatives.
The Minister for Gaming and Racing is committed to conducting a major review of harm minimisation measures, and I applaud the direction the Government is taking. I know that the Minister has a strong grasp of the concerns the industry is facing and of the need to deal with harm minimisation. But it is clear that the industry must continue to be successful. As a government we must understand that the industry has a customer, and we do not resile from that. The approach the Minister is taking will work. It is intended that the review will provide evidence-based frameworks for future policymaking that will provide a solid backbone for the direction and focus of the industry in partnership with the Government that has delivered so strongly for our community. I commend the bill to the House.
Mr ARMSTRONG (Lachlan) [8.11 p.m.]: I have listened to and watched on the television screens a number of Government and Opposition members speak to the legislation. The focus seems to be on problem gambling, which is why the legislation seeks to close down for a certain period access to gambling machines, namely poker machines. Originally hotels, or pubs as they are commonly called, were places of accommodation that dispensed alcoholic beverages. They were the centrepiece of suburbs and towns across this nation and the Western world. But let us stick to New South Wales. Clubs came into their own here after World War II. When servicemen returned from overseas duty the RSL was the catalyst for the creation and development of many clubs, coupled with sporting clubs such as bowling clubs and golf clubs. They were the licensed clubs. We have always had tennis clubs, cricket clubs, croquet clubs and a plethora of card clubs, et cetera, but they were seldom licensed.
To a great extent the viability of hotels depended on the sale of alcohol and although the club industry had a monopoly on poker machines, in the past decade and a half the hotel industry has had access to them. The bill consistently refers, as have many speakers, to problem gambling. I am always at a loss to know what a problem gambler is. A problem gambler could be a pensioner who may have a wife at home and a debt on the family premises, and who spends as little as $25 week. Alternatively, a problem gambler in average employment earning $40,000 a year, who has a wife and maybe one child at home and whose home is half paid off, might spend $150 a week. It is a bit like beauty: it is all in the eye of the beholder. There is no common rule as to how much one can spend. I defy any club manager or republican to know what percentage of disposable income any person playing the machines tonight is spending. Are they spending 10 per cent, 50 per cent or 70 per cent? Is the family going without shoes, baked beans or milk?
One might say that determining who is and who is not a problem gambler is a subjective assessment. But a few things are patently obvious: more family money, personal income, is now expended on recreational activities, including gambling, than ever before. That is a matter for society. We have a responsibility to try to maintain a balance within the community. But clubs and pubs within smaller, outer suburbs and country towns are changing. I represent about 44 communities across some 44,000 square kilometres. My electorate covers towns such as Tullibigeal, Ungarie, Springvale, Barmedman, Wallendbeen and Bethungra, all of which have pubs and/or clubs. Probably 25 golf clubs sit outside the main town areas. My electorate probably has 25 or more bowling clubs. As a collective statement, virtually all the bowling and golf clubs in my electorate are in financial difficulty. Two-thirds of them are probably terminal.
During the last week the manager of the Junee Golf Club, a volunteer, has rung me nearly every day asking me what he should do. Last year the Government made $9 million in unclaimed prize money from Keno, which is available to clubs throughout New South Wales. The clubs had to prepare a business plan, and Junee got $5,500. The ClubBIZ accountants charged $5,000 to prepare a business plan to spend $500. It was not much help at all. It was a nice exercise, but people spent many hours providing free information to the accountants, who then charged $5,000. The problems at Junee, Cootamundra, Young, Grenfell and Forbes still exist. The bowling club at Ungarie is run 100 per cent by volunteers. The bowling club at West Wyalong is virtually run 100 per cent by volunteers. I ask the Government, in its enthusiasm to deal with problem gambling, to consider social demographics and the changes caused in the culture of our country towns and, I suspect, our suburbs, and not only the smaller ones.
Today I heard on the radio that the Coogee Bowling Club has closed down, yet Coogee is one of the fastest-growing and highest-value suburbs in Sydney. It would be easy to walk out of here tonight after the legislation passes through this House and think that we have solved the problem. But unless we deal with the real problem in the social infrastructure and the culture of many of our smaller towns, major problems will strike many of the clubs servicing our bigger towns that provide sporting and recreational facilities and, as a Government speaker said earlier, facilities for meetings, weddings and twenty-first birthday party celebrations.
In probably the past 40 years very few towns have worried about town halls. For example, Condobolin, in the west of New South Wales, which has a population of about 3,800, does not have a town hall, but it has an RSL club with a very large auditorium. It also has a bowling club with quite a reasonable auditorium. Both those institutions are run mainly on the generosity of volunteers. I ask the Government to recognise that we can pontificate until we are blue in the face about problem gambling, but that we must recognise the importance of pubs and clubs. Because of the drought, the publicans of both the pubs in Ungarie had to take short-term jobs and leave their wives to run the pubs. The pub at Kikoira is still licensed, but the doors are closed. Unless we realise the changes in those cultures, we are missing the point.
While I support my colleague the shadow Minister for Gaming and Racing, I ask the Government to note that as far as the community is concerned, closing down the pubs and clubs for six hours a night will not overcome their problems because they will still be there in the morning. The problems are not being addressed. ClubBIZ is a failure. It has only helped a few accountants; it has not helped any club that I am aware of. I hope someone can prove I am wrong, but I have facts and figures to support my claim. Although the Government has introduced this legislation, it has missed the bus because it has not taken note of what is happening in small communities. Clubs and pubs in many small towns are in diabolical distress because in recent years the whole fabric of gambling has been changed. I ask the Minister, who is new to the job—and I wish him every good fortune in it—to give urgent remedial attention to the problems. I hope to be able to support him in rehabilitating clubs and pubs. They are an essential part of the fabric of society, culturally and by the provision of employment, in small towns and most suburbs.
Mrs PALUZZANO (Penrith) [8.21 p.m.]: These days the world moves pretty quickly. Working hours are longer than ever before and families need places to relax and just be together. Communities need venues for leisure and recreation to assist in achieving that balance. Reassurance can be found in the services provided by local clubs, where meals are served at affordable prices and where families can go after a long working day. As a parent with three young children, I know that of the many clubs in my local area, one club provides that type of service. That is the Glenbrook Bowling and Recreation Club, which offers facilities for young families. There is an enclosed children's play area in the cafeteria and on Friday nights face painting is provided for young children who frequent the facility with their parents.
I am certainly aware that clubs are a beneficial attribute of the broader community. An obvious example is the Penrith Panthers club. I will mention that in more detail later. The network of clubs and pubs ranging from quite small establishments to very large ones plays an integral role in the social structure of my community. While most people have a sense of the role played by clubs and pubs, many are not aware of just how much the industry puts back into the community through sponsorship and contributions to local sporting clubs and associations. Many recreational and sporting activities that are enjoyed during the week and particularly on weekends would not be possible without the contributions that are made by clubs and hotels. Any person who drives in or through my electorate on any weekend, winter or summer, would be aware of the popularity of sport being played in my electorate. During winter people see the Penrith District Netball Association playing in Jamison Park and games are played at local parks by members of the Nepean District Soccer Association. Those two associations have many member teams and clubs that are sponsored by the local clubs and pubs in my electorate.
During this debate much has been said about sport and the sponsorship by clubs, but one must note also the cultural support within the community provided by clubs and pubs. My local gallery, the Penrith Regional Gallery and Lewers Bequest, has received support in kind and in donations for many years from the Penrith Panthers. The Penrith Panthers have supported exhibitions, board membership and is linked closely to the cultural tone of the Penrith electorate. A club the size of the Penrith Panthers draws people not only from the wider Sydney community but also from interstate and overseas. The influence that this has on the Penrith electorate both socially and economically is immeasurable. As a young university student who was paying her way through university, I very much valued the employment opportunities offered by Penrith Panthers. My partner also worked there in the bar and as a security officer while a student. The social and economic benefits of Penrith Panthers were certainly measurable in the Paluzzano family. I am assured that most, if not all, electorates receive similar benefits from their clubs and pubs.
However, it is widely acknowledged that the gaming industry needs to be regulated and monitored closely to ensure that the gambling harm minimisation rules are enforced. This amending legislation is a prime example of how the Carr Government is committed to principles such as harm minimisation. Provisions of this bill will ensure that regulators have the necessary powers to protect problem gamblers from harm while maintaining the financial strength of local clubs and pubs. This bill will confirm public confidence in the Carr Government, which is continuing its strong stance on harm minimisation. I commend the bill to the House.
Ms ALLAN (Wentworthville) [8.25 p.m.]: Like virtually all the speakers who preceded me in this debate, I support the bill. I am pleased that most speakers have acknowledged the great contributions that local clubs make to the local communities. The thrust of this legislation is a fundamental change in the way in which the Government administers the mandatory reduction of gaming hours. The Carr Government gave that commitment in July 2001. This bill will take away from local government its role in the process of determining the hours of operation of clubs. One local government authority in the Wentworthville electorate that has been successful in a process it introduced to monitor and regulate gaming hours for local clubs. At the first opportunity provided by the Government, the Holroyd City Council announced the creation of a community consultative committee and it advertised widely within the community. This process was under way during the height of the election campaign, so my role was minimal—I was more than happy to cheer from the sidelines—but the council created a committee which worked closely with clubs, councils and community groups. The committee made a series of recommendations that eventually were adopted by the Government.
The very process that this amending bill seeks to implement is one that worked well in my electorate. For that reason I congratulate the Mayor of the Holroyd City Council, Councillor Mal Tulloch, the staff of the council and the leaders and staff of the local clubs who played an active role in ensuring that the participation in, and debate on, the committee's recommendations was successful. I note also that the Wentworthville Leagues Club received unanimous support from the consultative committee which was created by the Holroyd City Council to ensure that the mandatory reduction of gaming hours was observed. The consultative approach was so successful that the club now only has to close between 6.00 a.m. and 9.00 a.m. on weekends and public holidays, but for the rest of the week it has to comply with the Government's legislation. That approach has not worked across-the-board in all local government areas, hence the need for legislation.
I take issue with the shadow Minister for Gaming and Racing, who suggested that monitoring and regulation are not the province of local government. The Holroyd City Council experience has demonstrated that it could have been the role of local government, but generally local government authorities have sought not to put their hands up to take on that role, for whatever reason. That is fair enough. That does not take anything away from the tremendous effort made by the Carr Government in its current and previous terms to regulate gambling in this State. I am delighted with the efforts of the previous Minister and the current Minister. An active role is being played by clubs in the provision of counselling. As the honourable member for Bankstown pointed out, compulsory training is given to people who work in clubs. They have to complete a day's training on identifying problem gamblers and potential problems with clients of clubs. All of these initiatives contribute to an improved gambling environment in clubs.
I congratulate the major clubs in my electorate, particularly Wentworthville Leagues Club and Parramatta Leagues Club, on their initiatives. Wentworthville Leagues Club has gone further and joined the Millennium Foundation in carrying out further scientific and medical research in an attempt to find out what creates a problem gambler. As the honourable member for Bankstown has said, local clubs play an invaluable role in our communities. On many occasions in this Chamber I have said that schools, churches and clubs provide valuable social networks in my region of Western Sydney. I cannot underestimate the role played by that clubs. Honourable members know about the compulsory contributions clubs must make through the Community Development and Support Expenditure Scheme, but many clubs make contributions beyond what is required.
The honourable member for Bankstown listed a raft of major contributions that clubs in his electorate make. One of the benefactors is the Bankstown Sporting Club. Those generous contributions have been duplicated across the metropolitan area, and, I suspect, across regional New South Wales. Clubs in my electorate also make significant contributions from the moneys they collect from gambling. Over and above that, clubs play a specific role: when they are called upon, they answer the call. For some time I have been calling upon clubs in my area more and more often. Although the Government has legislated to make it harder for clubs to raise revenue, as highlighted by the honourable member for Bankstown, clubs have still shown their willingness to make such contributions. On Monday of last week the President of Wentworthville Leagues Club, Trevor Oldfield, and the President of Parramatta Leagues Club, Alan Overton, and I distributed—through the Helping Hand Program, which I mentioned in this Chamber last week—a number of small but important grants to local groups over and above the community service development contributions that clubs normally make.
Groups and individuals in my area associated with children and adults with a disability include the Holroyd Community Aid and Information Service, the Aunties and Uncles group, the Toongabbie Country Women's Association, the St Vincent de Paul Society in Toongabbie and Wentworthville, the Pendle Hill Church of Christ, the Persian Evangelical Anglican Church, as well as bigger charities such as Ronald McDonald House and the Parramatta Mission. They have all received direct grants from the clubs under the Helping Hand Program. Those grants are in addition to the compulsory obligations of clubs. Last Monday week I had a brief discussion with the scouts leader, Mrs Eames, a recipient of a grant on behalf of Wentworthville scouts. She was dressed in her scouts uniform when she attended Wentworthville Leagues Club to receive her cheque of $500 from the president of the club. She said to me, "Normally I do not walk into a club, it is not something that I would necessarily do".
Mr George: Not in her scouts uniform.
Ms ALLAN: She certainly would not do so in her scouts uniform. However, she acknowledged the invaluable role that clubs had played in helping her rebuild the local scout group. Mrs Eames is appreciative of the community and social work that the club had undertaken. It is pleasing to know that clubs seize the initiative to demonstrate their social responsibility by ensuring that they educate their local client community more broadly about the hazards of gambling. Despite all the regulations imposed upon them in the past decade or so clubs still show a tremendous willingness to participate as fully as possible in their local communities. My experience is not atypical.
I support this amending bill. I suspect that it will result in a major improvement in the regulation of gambling hours in this State. I emphasise that the Government managed to get it right in part of my electorate, that is, in the local government area of Holroyd. However, I acknowledge that there was a broad suspicion that the changes would not work. I look forward to a responsive Liquor Administration Board receiving applications from clubs and listening to arguments as to why gaming machines should not be shut down for the full six hours. I hope that the relevant bureaucracy is as receptive to those clubs and their arguments as the Holroyd consultative committee was earlier this year when it heard submissions from the Wentworthville Leagues Club and other local clubs.
In the past one criticism of the regulation of the liquor industry has been the detachment between the bureaucracy and the clubs. That was partly because the bureaucracy is an important regulator of the club industry. I put the bureaucracy on notice that although the Government is taking away the consultation mechanism on gambling hours—that is, local government—many in this Chamber, including me, will certainly be monitoring closely the response to the clubs to this bill. It is important that the Government, together with the liquor bureaucracy, acknowledges that clubs play a valuable role in our community. We want to encourage them, not discourage them.
Mr NEWELL (Tweed—Parliamentary Secretary) [8.35 p.m.]: It gives me great pleasure to support the Gaming Machines Amendment (Shutdown Periods) Bill. In contrast to the honourable member for Lachlan, who told a tale of woe about a number of clubs, particularly smaller clubs, that have been doing it tough in these financial times, I will indicate how this bill and other bills affect the club industry in my area. In the Tweed the club industry has a long and proud history and is the location of some of the most successful clubs in New South Wales. The industry, along with government departments, has grown to be one of the biggest employer industries in my electorate. The club industry plays an important role in the economy of the Tweed. To their credit, the clubs in the Tweed withstood the challenge from clubs across the Queensland border when poker machines were introduced in that State a few years ago. Obviously clubs in the northern part of my electorate, around Tweed Heads, felt that impact quite strongly.
I am pleased to congratulate the managers of clubs in the Tweed on their astute management in preparing for the change, which they knew would be challenging. The change came at a time of much uncertainty in the economic climate. However, despite both those challenges and others, Tweed clubs have continued to prosper and provide services to the local community. Through the Community Development and Support Expenditure Scheme, with which most honourable members are familiar, a considerable amount of money has been put into the local community by the larger clubs. The latest edition of ClubsNSW newsletter, No. 6, which State parliamentarians would have read closely, contains a tribute to the Tweed Heads Bowls Club, which recently gave $6,000 to the Tweed Heads police to help fund the lease of a car.
The Tweed Heads community crime prevention officer, Senior Constable Stuart Crawford, will use that car to travel around the Tweed electorate to educate and communicate with the community on various issues. I congratulate the club on its efforts. Whilst I single out the Tweed Heads Bowls Club, obviously a number of other clubs in my electorate contribute significant amounts to the local community through that scheme. Recently I had the pleasure of hosting the Minister for Gaming and Racing on a visit to the Tweed. He toured a number of clubs including Seagulls, Tweed Heads Bowls Club, Twin Towns Services Sports Club, Banora Point Services Club, which is known as Club Banora and Twin Towns Juniors.
[Quorum formed.]
I thank Opposition members for providing me with a greater audience which, I am sure, will be most interested in what I have to say about the club industry in the Tweed. I referred earlier to the role played by the club industry, the largest employer in my electorate. I said also that I recently took the new Minister for Gaming and Racing on a tour of a number of clubs in my electorate. One thing that emerged from that tour—and the Minister picked up on this point—was the way that many clubs provide the sorts of services required by the aged community. The Minister was impressed with the way in which the Tweed Heads Bowls Club Ltd and the Twin Towns Services Sports Club provided facilities for the elderly, for example, cheaper meals, free coffee in the morning, games, activities and entertainment.
Because of their decreased poker machine revenue some of the smaller golf and bowls clubs in my electorate are finding it difficult to provide the services that are required by their members. The picture that the Minister saw of clubs in the Tweed provided him with a fairly good snapshot of clubs in the rest of New South Wales. The bigger clubs appear to be successful, but clubs in smaller communities are obviously struggling. I agree with the provision in the bill that requires clubs to shut down their poker machines for three hours to give heavy or problem gamblers a cooling-down period. However, there is flexibility in relation to that shutdown period. Clubs that have a history of trading as early openers will be able to apply for variations to that shutdown period. One club in the Tweed area, which has approached me in relation to that issue, will avail itself of those provisions. I thank honourable members for giving me an opportunity to point out the importance of the club industry to the Tweed electorate. I support the bill.
Mr McLEAY (Heathcote) [8.45 p.m.]: I support the Gaming Machines Amendment (Shutdown Periods) Bill. I am a proud number of a number of fantastic clubs in my electorate. I say to Mr Thorpe, President of the Australian Hotels Association, who is in the gallery: The pubs in my electorate do a magnificent job. I refer particularly to Libby's at Engadine, which supported me throughout the election campaign, and to a number of clubs that take a responsible attitude to gambling and to the provision of alcohol. Those clubs, which work closely with the local police, support many community activities. I do not believe that many clubs will seek amendments to their operating times because of hardship, but, if they do, they will receive my support. I commend the bill to the House.
Ms MOORE (Bligh) [8.47 p.m.]: The Gaming Machines Amendment (Shutdown Periods) Bill seeks to amend the Gaming Machine Act 2001, which introduced a range of harm minimisation measures intended to respond to increasing community concern about problem gambling as well as the serious and damning assessment of the 1979 report of the Federal Productivity Commission. The Act included a provision for an initial three-hour compulsory shutdown period to be increased to six hours from May 2003. Clubs and hotels could apply to local councils to reduce the shutdown period to three hours on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The Liquor Administration Board [LAB] could approve a different shutdown period for clubs and hotels with a history of trading as early openers.
The Government argues that some hotels and clubs are now experiencing significant financial difficulties as a result of the three-hour shutdown and that unions are concerned about the risk to jobs, particularly for shift workers. The bill will provide for the LAB to approve exemptions to clubs and hotels facing financial hardship and allow them to retain the shorter three-hour shutdown period. The bill also transfers council authority over hours of operation to the LAB. I am concerned that the Minister in his second reading speech reported that it is too early to know the effectiveness of the shutdown measure. But available data indicates that a few 24-hour trading clubs appear to have experienced a decline in gaming machine profits and that the Government is not prepared to back away from its measure.
Any reduction in gambling revenue would be an indication that this measure is having some success in reducing gambling, yet I am concerned that this bill will undermine the progress that the Minister seems to have made. The clear intent of the shutdown measure is to reduce expenditure on gaming machines, but this amendment aims to reverse any observable benefits being achieved. Three years after the Productivity Commission's report on Australia's gambling industries the commission's chairman, Gary Banks, reported:
Despite recognition by the industry that there is a problem and the introduction of legislation and self-regulation, it is unclear whether problem gambling has been reduced.
It is alarming that since 1997-98 expenditure on gambling has risen by 15 per cent to reach $14 billion, or $1,000 per adult. That is a slower growth than previously—although we can take little comfort from it—which partly reflects some policy success, but it is probably due to market saturation. The gaming machine share of gambling expenditure has risen further to 57 per cent in 2000-01 from 52 per cent in 1997-98 and from 34 per cent in 1991-92. The costs of problem gambling are greater for gaming machines than they are for any other form of gambling.
Despite the slow-down in expenditure, State and Territory budget forecasts indicate a continuing rise in government dependency on gambling taxes. New South Wales continues to be the worst offender in that respect. There are still serious problems with the regulatory environment for gambling, including a lack of genuine independent and transparent research, a lack of effective monitoring and enforcement for consumer protection and a lack of substantive independence for regulators from gaming interests.
There is further disturbing information. Analysis of government data by the Australian Institute of Primary Care at Latrobe University indicates that consistently rising State gambling tax revenue forecasts for New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria suggest that governments do not expect anti-problem gambling initiatives to be effective. Western Australia, which does not have any poker machines outside Burswood Casino, has one-third the level of problem gambling per capita compared with New South Wales. The New South Wales Casino Community Benefit Fund annual report revealed that poker machines are the most common problem reported by callers to the gaming assistance telephone service "G-line".
New South Wales has 10 per cent of the world's poker machines. The Productivity Commission concluded that deregulation greatly expanded the availability of legal gambling, particularly gaming machines, to an extent unprecedented in the Western world. Tim Costello reported that the New South Wales Government claims 43¢ in every dollar that goes through these poker machines. The backdown on the shutdown policy is a bad sign regarding the Government's commitment to addressing the harmful impacts of gambling in a way that prevents the continuous rise of gambling. If the Government were serious about harm minimisation and about maintaining the viability of clubs and hotels it would reduce gambling taxes while phasing out poker machines in hotels and reducing its reliance on gambling tax revenues.
I have long been concerned about the impact of gambling on the New South Wales community. That is why in 1992 I opposed the Casino Control Bill introduced by the former Coalition Government. I did so not only because I thought it would provide an outlet for criminals to pursue illegal practices, including the laundering of money, but because of the impact it would have on the lives of gamblers and their families and because the main clients of a casino would be not tourists but residents of the State and it would therefore have a negative impact on the local club industry. I also have a long history of supporting local clubs. That is why in 1993 I introduced the Casino Control (Slot Machines) Amendment Bill, which sought to minimise the impact that the proposed Sydney Casino would have on clubs in the city. Clubs provide a valuable community service that is funded by poker machine revenue. The exclusion of poker machines from the casino would have preserved local clubs and their community services without threatening the viability of the casino. I also pointed out at the time that local clubs supported sporting groups and welfare services. When the Gambling Legislation Amendment (Responsible Gambling) Bill came before the House in 2001 I asked during debate on that bill:
What does a bill that has in its title the term "responsible gambling" reflect of our social values? Where have we arrived as a society when governments sell assets which generate revenue to provide better services and instead raise revenue through the misery and exploitation of its citizens—the problem gamblers?
Unlike the other members who have spoken in this debate, I strongly oppose this bill. It appears to be largely a public relations stunt designed to keep hotel and gaming industry interests on side. I agree with Tim Costello, who accused the New South Wales Government of being hopelessly addicted to revenue from gambling and to political donations from the hotel industry. This bill will shore up the dependence of the Australian Labor Party and the Government on rising income derived from the suffering of gamblers and of New South Wales families.
Mr GEORGE (Lismore) [8.54 p.m.]: I state from the outset that my family has an interest in a hotel and that I was once a publican. I congratulate the Minister for Gaming and Racing on his appointment and I wish him all the best. I am sure that the industry is looking forward to working with him. The Gaming Machines Amendment (Shutdown Periods) Bill follows the Gaming Machines Act 2001, which commenced operation on 2 April 2002. The Act required registered clubs and hotels to shut down gaming machines for three hours from 6.00 a.m. to 9.00 a.m. and provided for an automatic extension of the shutdown to six hours from 4.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. on 1 May. The Act also contains provisions to apply to the Liquor Administration Board [LAB] to reduce the shutdown to three hours on weekends and public holidays if there is support from local government.
The honourable member for Lachlan referred to struggling clubs in smaller communities, and I support everything he said. As I said at the outset, I have been involved in the industry for some time and have seen it come a long way in adopting responsible attitudes first to the service of alcohol and now to gaming. As a publican in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I remember being told not to serve intoxicated people. I pay tribute to John Thorpe and the Australian Hotels Association for the role they played in convincing publicans and the industry, including the clubs, that they owed it to the community to serve alcohol responsibly. My hardest job as a publican was convincing intoxicated people that they should not have any more to drink.
The situation has progressed and the hotel and club industry is much better for that attitude change. Licensed premises now have a much friendlier atmosphere. Pubs in this State have improved their quality of services to patrons, who can take their families to such establishments and feel safe and secure. They can enjoy the hospitality of the hotel industry—with regard not just to drink but also to food. The New South Wales industry can be justifiably proud of its achievements in that area, which has helped to boost tourism in many country areas throughout the State.
Attitudes on gambling are now shifting. I know of no publican, licensee or club who does not take a responsible attitude to gaming or the service of alcohol. Any publican or club who breaks the rules is pounced on straightaway. Every community in my area has a liquor advisory committee that involves the police, council, pubs and clubs and promotes responsible behaviour in the liquor industry. We have heard tonight about the amount of money that hotels and clubs put back into the community. They are the backbone of our communities, providing support and sponsorship. I am proud to be involved in this industry—I declared my interest at the beginning of my speech—which has certainly come a long way. I am sure that the industry will continue to meet its community responsibilities by adhering to the changes outlined in this bill. I am pleased also that the LAB will be responsible for determining whether a premises should shut down its gaming machines for three hours or six hours.
Mr McBRIDE (The Entrance—Minister for Gaming and Racing) [8.59 p.m.], in reply: I thank all honourable members for their contributions to this debate. The honourable member for Blacktown outlined a range of harm minimisation measures implemented by hotels and clubs in New South Wales and their commitment to social and responsible service—a common theme amongst speakers. The honourable member for Lismore, a former publican, talked about the dramatic change in culture in the past decade in the way clubs and pubs operate in this State. The honourable member for Bankstown, who has had an interest in this industry ever since he entered Parliament, spoke about employment and trade unions. He referred to the support that the industry gives to sport and other community services in his electorate. He also gave his personal commitment to the value of a responsible hotel and club industry in this State. He said that his community has been working to find solutions to their problems¯another common theme in this debate.
The honourable member for Lachlan stressed the importance of clubs and pubs to country communities and their future financial viability. I have already had representations from clubs and pubs in the country about their difficult circumstances, given the drought and other factors in the past three to four years, and their role in their community. The honourable member for Lachlan and other National Party representatives rightly pointed out that they are not just pubs and clubs but are intrinsic to the fabric of their communities. At one town the only social amenity is the local club and that is now struggling. If that club were to close down the nearest social amenity that local residents could attend is more than 60 kilometres away. Honourable members appreciate how important this industry is to their community. The honourable member for Penrith referred to the need for and value of clubs and hotels in her community. The honourable member for Wentworthville referred to a very good experience with Holroyd council and its management of the gambling issue in its local community through community consultation¯an idea that is being adopted by the Government. The Government will provide total community consultation on its review and when looking at the effectiveness of harm minimisation measures. It will return to an evidence-based decision-making process, as advocated by the shadow Minister.
The honourable member for Wentworthville also referred to the contribution of clubs in her community in providing funds for a range of facilities and services that otherwise would not receive any funding. The honourable member for Tweed spoke about his electorate, where I visited five clubs two weeks ago. The clubs have tuned themselves to provide services to their local community, for example, the Tweed Heads Bowls Club provides free tea or coffee up to 11.00 a.m. and $5 lunches every day. That is an enormous service for low-income retired people. The club and hotel industry is the largest industry between Byron Bay and the Queensland border. They are intrinsic to and are the lifeblood of their communities, and without their survival there would be a major loss of services to the enormous number of the low-income retired population.
The honourable member for Heathcote gave his assessment of improvements in the responsible management and service of alcohol in clubs and pubs in his area. The honourable member for Bligh indicated her concern about problem gambling in New South Wales, a view which I share. It is a major concern of the Government and the Opposition to deal with that issue. The Casino Community Benefit Fund provides $7 million allocated annually for problem gambling services in this State. That comes off a base less than four years ago of only $200,000 being allocated to those services in this State. That and the announcement tomorrow of funding for those services in the next financial year show a real commitment to the issue of problem gambling in this State. The honourable member for Lismore confessed to being a former publican and said that his family still has interests in the industry. He mentioned struggling clubs and pubs in New South Wales and their importance to country culture, a comment with which I agree. I have no doubt in my experience in country New South Wales that country clubs and pubs are important to their communities.
The most important feature about the bill is that it preserves the three-hour shutdown of gaming machine operations that has been in place since 2 April 2003. In the vast majority of cases, it will also preserve the six-hour shutdown of gaming machine operations that has only recently been introduced. The three-hour shutdown that was introduced still stands. The only reduction that can apply is when there is an opportunity to apply for a second three-year period in relation to hardship, as outlined in the amendment to the legislation. I believe that the amendments that are before the House are limited changes that will allow the six-hour shutdown to be applied sensibly and pragmatically. Any exemptions that are to be given to the six-hour shutdown will still require clubs and hotels to shut down their gaming machines for three hours a day. The three hours is immutable. This three-hour circuit breaker has been described by problem gambling counsellors as being of importance in curbing the propensity to gamble by those with a gambling problem.
Further, the Liquor Administration Board will only be able to approve the reduced three-hour shutdown in situations that comply with specific guidelines. I note the request by the shadow Minister that the guidelines be tabled, and I am pleased do that at the conclusion of my speech. The guidelines will be finalised in consultation with community representatives as well as industry representatives. Staff from my office have spoken to community representatives and stakeholders including problem gambling services and other representatives of community organisations and industry representatives. I want to indicate that I intend to move a Government amendment during the Committee stage of the bill. That amendment will make it abundantly clear that the guidelines will have primacy in the consideration of any application for a limited shutdown period. In view of the importance of the guidelines to this process, it is essential that the guidelines take pre-emininence over any other matters. Accordingly, I will be moving an amendment in Committee to rectify this problem.
Finally, I note the request by the shadow Minister to be consulted about the terms of reference for the proposed inquiry into gambling harm minimisation. I am happy to involve the shadow Minister in consultation about the terms of reference for the inquiry, and the broader community. I acknowledge the contribution of the honourable member for Upper Hunter, the shadow Minister, to this debate. I acknowledge his close examination of the matter which at times was almost forensic. He has been outstanding in regard to his meticulous attention to the detail of the bill. I must admit that advice from the shadow Minister, when compared with initial advice we received, was 100 per cent accurate.
Perhaps he might move on to a legal career if and when he leaves Parliament, although his attention to detail may come from his experience as a Minister and having had to look at the absolute detail of written regulations and legislation. I thank the honourable member for Upper Hunter for his impressive contribution. I am aware that he shares my interest in minimising any possible adverse impact on the broader community. I commend the bill to the House. I seek leave to table draft guidelines for the information of honourable members, having given a commitment that those guidelines would be finalised in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Leave granted.
Draft guidelines tabled.
Question—That this bill be now read a second time—put.
Division called for. Standing Order 191 applied.
Noes, 1
Ms Moore
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Motion agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
In Committee
Schedule 1
Amendment by Mr McBride agreed to:
Page 4, schedule 1 [7], proposed section 40A, lines 7 to 15. Omit all words on those lines. Insert instead:
(3) The Board's approval of a hotel or registered club having the limited shutdown period may be given only if the Board is satisfied that the hotel or club will suffer hardship to the extent specified in the guidelines approved by the Minister for the purposes of this section if its approval is not given.
Schedule 1 as amended agreed to.
Bill reported from Committee with an amendment and passed through remaining stages.