Page 3039 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 10 September 1991
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Mr Collaery: It does not matter if it was in the question. It was a humorous allusion by Dr Kinloch. We want to know, firstly, whether Mr Berry knows what went on in Darwin and whether it referred to casinos and the impact of racing on casinos.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Collaery, Mr Berry has answered one part of the question and I believe that he is taking a valid position at the moment. But I would ask you to draw that to a close, please, Mr Berry.
MR BERRY: I will just deal with those two scores. The first, which has been spoken on by the Chief Minister, is the issue of access to members. Constituents have continually expressed the desire to have their own elected member. I think that is a good point and a good part of any electoral system. When people of the ACT vote in a referendum to support single member electorates they will get just that - a better system of government.
In relation to the second part, we need a system which is better for Canberra in terms of stable government. We need stable government in the Territory. I do not think there are too many opposite, even though they have been the cause of instability, who would disagree with the need for stable government, because of the ill effects that an unstable situation has on the Territory. So, on two scores - for constituents and for stability - single members are obviously the best, and I hope that satisfies that part of the question asked by Dr Kinloch.
In relation to the effects of gambling casinos on horseracing and other forms of gambling, there is a limit to the gambling dollar. When a new form of gambling is implemented or introduced, there will be some effects on other forms of gambling. I think that is a simple question and it gets a simple answer. I am not aware of the detail of that in relation to the ACT, but it is something that is of concern to horseracing supporters and it is something that they are quite prepared to live with. They certainly live pretty well with it in the Northern Territory and the punters seem to be happy with it. I suspect that the racing fraternity here would be happy enough with a casino as well.
Health Promotion Fund
MS MAHER: My question is to Mr Berry, the Minister for Health. Can the Minister give an indication as to when submissions for funding under the Health Promotion Fund will be finalised, taking into consideration that at least one youth group, Youth Insearch Foundation, which fills an important gap in services provided to the youth area, had its funding from Sydney cut a few weeks ago and people are now working on a voluntary basis?
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