Page 1674 - Week 06 - Thursday, 20 May 1993
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MR BERRY: You would have to ask the people who received my press release. It is an important program and, of course, this Government has a good record when it comes to the recognition of volunteers. We introduced for the first time last year the Volunteer of the Year Award at the ACT Sports Star of the Year celebration. In setting up the sports advisory council, one of the issues that I asked the chairperson on her appointment to consider was the issue of volunteerism, because we know and understand that many sports out there would fail if it were not for the great effort that is put in by volunteers. A lot of them are parents who follow their children into the sport and become involved in the administration side of it, but there are a lot of people who are genuinely interested in particular sports and who stay with those sports for many years. We intend to recognise the input of volunteers in the ACT, as demonstrated by our award last year. That is something that is an ongoing thing. It will continue.
As for the committee that you have talked about, I will have to take some further advice on that matter and report back to you. I can say to you that, as far as the ACT is concerned, we were off and running early in the piece. We take the participation of volunteers and the contribution of volunteers in the development of ACT sport very seriously, and we will continue to do so.
MR CORNWELL: I have a supplementary question. You speak of the award last year. I agree wholeheartedly with what you say, Minister; but why were the activities of the ACT volunteers not recognised by this ACT Government last week in this national volunteer in sports award?
Mr Kaine: They forgot.
MR BERRY: No. If I did not send you a copy of the press release, I will. You will be advised. It was sent far and wide and it did not get the publicity it obviously deserved.
Liquor Licence Fees
MR MOORE: Madam Speaker, my question is directed to Rosemary Follett as Treasurer. As a result of the Business Franchise (Liquor) Act converting retrospective fees to be paid on liquor sales to all licensees paying fees for a quarter in advance of sales, it has been reported that a large amount of revenue was lost to the ACT as a result of the anomaly associated with this Act and its conversion. Can the Treasurer tell us exactly how much revenue was lost?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, the short answer is that revenue has not been lost. It is a complex matter, so I hope that members will bear with me if I go through it. As a result of the High Court decision in October of last year, the ACT is precluded from raising duties of excise. Members will recall that during February of this year several Acts were passed to ensure that the Territory's tax laws would not be open to challenge as a consequence of that High Court decision.
Members might also recall that one of those Acts was the Business Franchise (Liquor) Act 1993. It repealed the Liquor Tax Act 1991 and removed the distinction between licensees who were granted a licence before January 1992 and those gaining their licence on or after that date. The essential difference between the two categories of licences was that pre-1 January 1992 licensees paid their
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