Page 3349 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 19 August 2009

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Gaming—sale of Labor clubs

MR HANSON: My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, yesterday in question time you were asked about a letter that had been written by the president of the Labor club that been the subject of a report in the Canberra Times. Treasurer, in your answer to that question, you said:

I received a copy of that letter yesterday and I forwarded it to the Gambling and Racing Commission for their information.

Treasurer, under what section of the Gaming Machine Act did you send your letter to the Gambling and Racing Commission? What action did you request from the commission in response to the letter from the Labor club president?

MS GALLAGHER: I thank the member for the question. The letter I wrote to the Gambling and Racing Commission principally raised three matters. I drew their attention to media reports outlined in the Canberra Times and other media outlets, primarily on 15 and 18 August, around the proposed sale of the Canberra Labor Club Group. Secondly, I outlined the fact that these reports raised issues of compliance with the ACT Gaming Machine Act 2004. Thirdly, I attached the letter which had been copied to me by the chair of the Canberra Labor Club Group, Mr Brian Hatch, and I asked the commission to review the concerns outlined in that letter in relation to the Gaming Machine Act 2004.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, a supplementary question?

MR HANSON: Treasurer, thank you for your answer. Would you table a copy of your letter to the commission and any associated documents in the Assembly?

MS GALLAGHER: I have outlined exactly what the letter I wrote to the commission contained. That is it in its entirety. You will trust me on that one, you know. That is what I said.

Mr Hanson: No, I won’t.

MS GALLAGHER: But that is what I asked them. In relation to the letter that was attached to it, that is a private, internal party letter, which I have appropriately forwarded to the Gambling and Racing Commission for their investigation. I do not have the permission of the author of that letter to table it in the Assembly. I think the letter has been appropriately forwarded to the authority which has the powers to investigate the concerns raised in that letter.

Mr Coe: You tried to force me to table stuff.

MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Coe! The Treasurer has the floor.

MS GALLAGHER: We could go back to the tabling of all the issues around Facebook or lack of information around there.


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