Page 937 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 26 July 1989
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Instances were given to us of misdoings in casinos, but it is my assessment that those instances are much fewer than you would find in the general run of business. The critical factor is that we must first establish the legislation and put in the provisions and the processes to see that these casinos remain safe. We are doing that. That legislation includes the need to scrutinise and to watch what goes on in the casinos, what goes on in the management, indeed what management will be contracted to develop the casino.
That is one of the reasons why I do not think I will be visiting the casino particularly, unless it is to show it to some visitors to Canberra, because I do not care to be spied on at my leisure activities. The very extensive spying that occurs in the casino was disturbing to me. It is necessary. So I believe that the casinos themselves and their operators in this context will not be subject to criminal influences or be open to corruption.
There was one other item of the most major concern, and that was the position of a casino in the national capital, on section 19. I love this city, I am proud of it, and as a legislator I will do nothing to damage it; I would only work for its benefit.
Dr Kinloch, I listened carefully to every point on this issue and I considered them. I worked on the principle that the vision of Burley Griffin must not be diminished. Canberra must only get better. In all of my thinking, assessments and judgment, this was uppermost.
As you know, when I saw the casinos in Adelaide and Hobart - the only casinos I have seen - my perceptions of casinos changed. I said, "What's the big deal?". Casinos are not places of glamour or excitement, nor are they places of degradation and horror. The setting and decor of the casino in Adelaide, for example, if not the clientele, are rather grand. The Hobart casino would fit unobserved into the club scene in Canberra.
A casino is not inappropriate to Canberra, nor is it inappropriate on section 19, because those rather ordinary places that are casinos in Australia will not provide the focus for what we put on section 19. The other buildings, and in particular the arts complex, will provide the architectural and social focus of this very important part of the ACT and of Australia. The casino will be relatively insignificant.
Let me turn now to that arts complex. It is worth noting that there is a long history in Australia of gambling supporting the arts - note the development of the Opera House - and our GALA funds here are used for arts development. A recommendation from this committee seeks from the Government a clear statement about future development. I know that will wait until we see what the premium for the site is, and that is of necessity.
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