Page 998 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 21 April 2021
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The government will also spend $1.1 million in 2020-21 across a number of government agencies to support the commonwealth redress scheme, with funding to support eligible survivors of abuse in government institutions. This scheme is clearly of great importance to the wellbeing of those Canberrans who need this support.
Finally, this budget also invests in initiatives to limit the harm of gaming in our community. $3.8 million in 2020-21 has allowed us to extend the gaming machine authorisation surrender incentive to June 2021. Under this incentive all gaming machine licensees have the opportunity to access a cash payment of $15,000 per authorisation surrendered, with the payment required to be used towards staff employment, diversification activities and initiatives, and energy and water efficiency measures. Licensees have until June 2021 to access this incentive.
There is also $1.8 million allocated over four years to help fund a new community clubs ministerial advisory council focused on the long-term sustainability of the clubs. This funding includes technical advice to inform the development of policy and legislation so that we can successfully introduce $5 bet limits and $100 load-up limits on electronic gaming machines. I expect a staged rollout of the new limits will commence by the end of 2022.
I am really looking forward to the commencement of the work of this ministerial advisory council. We have received some really good nominations. I expect to be able to confirm the details of that in the coming weeks and then the committee to get underway with its work. We really want this group to work in a collaborative manner, to be a robust discussion forum where we look at the challenging issues facing the sustainability of clubs and look at how we are going to ensure that they are still vibrant community venues in two decades time.
I am conscious that many of the clubs are already under financial pressure. The government has also set clear policy ambitions to reduce gaming harm in our community and we need to make sure that we work collaboratively to meet those challenges in a way that is good for the future of clubs. These measures are designed to reduce gambling harm in our community while supporting a sustainable future. The social and economic impacts of gambling harm do ripple out across our community and we do have an obligation to protect those experiencing this harm.
As we introduce these measures, we will be working closely with the clubs and, through the advisory council, to deliver these in the most effective way that provides the best outcomes for the community. We will also be implementing the $5 million upgrade fund to help clubs improve energy efficiency, reduce costs and provide quality space for community activities.
In terms of some of the questions that have been raised in the debate, I did note Mr Cain’s comments about community security. I think, as I touched on earlier in my remarks, that the justice reinvestment agenda is a really important part of that. There is clear evidence in places that have taken this approach that by investing the money in the justice system at the early end in the provision of services, in the provision of therapeutic support and the like, we can make the whole community safer. I think that
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