Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 11 Hansard (26 September) . . Page.. 3324 ..

Gaming machines

Paper and statement by minister

MR STANHOPE (Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Health, Minister for Community Affairs and Minister for Women) (3.38): Mr Speaker, on behalf of Mr Quinlan, for the information of members, I present the following paper:

Gaming Machine Act, pursuant to section 60F-Community contributions made by gaming machine licensees-Fifth Report by the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission for the period 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002.

I ask for leave to make a statement.

Leave granted.

MR STANHOPE: I present the fifth report on the community contributions made by gaming machine licensees for the period 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002. The first two reports were produced by the Commissioner for ACT Revenue. Subsequent reporting became the responsibility of the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission following its establishment in December 1999.

This is the second year in which a minimum contribution was compulsory. Amendments to the Gaming Machine Act 1987, which were effective from 1 June 2001, introduced a requirement that club licensees make a minimum level of contribution of 5 per cent of net gaming machine revenue in the 2000-2001 financial year, 6 per cent for 2001-2002, and that increases to 7 per cent in 2002-2003. In addition, club licensees must contribute an amount equal to the total provided to registered political parties, associated entities, members of the Legislative Assembly and candidates.

The legislation outlines broad purposes of community contributions that are eligible, and identifies some types of contributions that are not eligible. Guidelines have been issued to help licensees comply with the legislation.

A further amendment to the act that commenced on 14 June 2002 introduced an incentive for clubs to consider contributions to women's sport. From the 2001-2002 reporting period, for every $3 contributed, the club's contribution would be calculated as $4.

The commission's report provides information on three main aspects of the contributions: legislative compliance by licensees, the extent of community contributions as a share of gaming machine revenue, and the level of contributions in each reporting category. The report is similar in structure to the four previous reports and includes data on both club and hotel contributions.

The hotel group had a gross gaming machine revenue in 2001-2002 of $316,887, which is a decrease of $49,959 on the previous year. The six hotel licensees contributed 8.5 per cent of their gross gaming machine revenue to community groups. The decrease in the gaming machine profits in 2001-2002 is reflected in the hotel licensees' contributions of $27,023, which is $4,685 lower than in 2000-2001.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .