Page 493 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 8 March 2011
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As members are aware, it was funded in last year’s budget. I believe it was funded to the tune of about a million dollars. I am more than happy to get the exact date but I think we are in a position now where the planning for the commencement of the trial is well advanced and I am hopeful we will be rolling it out sooner rather than later.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Hunter?
MS HUNTER: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, why is the government going out to tender for the building of new materials recovery facilities when the strategy is not finalised? Will you also go out to tender on options for a third bin or windrow composting?
MR CORBELL: No, we are not tendering for a third bin or windrow composting at this time. But in relation to materials recovery, it has been identified that there is significant scope to improve materials recovery in that commercial sector promptly. That is why the government has agreed to proceed with that measure. That decision was taken with due regard to the draft waste policy and a clear understanding by the government that regardless of the options the government chooses in relation to other parts of the waste stream, such as organic waste, there would in any event need to be that materials recovery facility for the commercial waste sector. That is why we have decided to proceed with that process.
Gaming machines—policy
MR COE: My question is to the Minister for Gaming and Racing. Minister, late in 2010 the Assembly agreed to make some amendments to the regime governing the operation of gaming machines in the ACT. At that time, you proposed a series of measures to make more changes to this regime and the federal government had also been considering changes to policies relating to gaming machines. Minister, what is the status of the package of measures, which you announced in the Assembly on 17 November 2010, to reform the operating regime for gaming machines?
MR BARR: Gaming and racing ministers met in Canberra two Fridays ago to progress work in relation to the national reform agenda. A number of areas were discussed in relation to precommitment technologies, withdrawal limits on automatic teller machines within gaming venues.
As members would be aware, there are a variety of different arrangements across the federation. Some jurisdictions, for example, in relation to automatic teller machines have gone so far as to ban such machines within gaming venues. I understand that is the case in Tasmania and is soon to be the case in Victoria. Others have sought to provide withdrawal limits on ATMs within gaming venues.
There was a discussion between the states and territories and the commonwealth in relation to the commonwealth’s commitments as part of the Prime Minister’s agreement with the member for Denison in relation to a $250 withdrawal limit for automatic teller machines within gaming venues. There was also discussion of a number of precommitment trials that South Australia and Queensland have been
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