Page 5520 - Week 13 - Thursday, 17 November 2011

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I think it behoves all of us in this Assembly to reflect on the circumstances in which we make allegations about contempt and recognise that it should only be left to the most serious and, indeed, the most premeditated of actions before we contemplate those sorts of accusations. That is consistent with the views and the findings of privileges committees in the federal parliament, which we should rely on for some guidance in these matters. To do otherwise is simply to subject ourselves to an increasingly frivolous and debasing process that will debase the whole concept of privileges processes in this place.

Finally, can I thank the committee chair, Ms Bresnan, for her chairing of this committee. It was at times a robust process that we had to work through and I think at all times she showed dignity and great level-headedness in managing the inquiry. So I would like to thank Ms Bresnan for that. Can I also indicate my thanks to the committee secretariat, the Clerk and the Deputy Clerk, for their assistance. As always it was a very valuable and important contribution. I commend the report to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Hargreaves) adjourned to a later hour.

Order of the day—postponement

Ordered that order of the day No 2 Assembly business be postponed until a later hour.

Gaming Machine Amendment Bill 2011

Mr Barr, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.

Title read by Clerk.

MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Education and Training and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation) (11.41): I move:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

I present the Gaming Machine Amendment Bill 2011, which introduces a number of changes to the Gaming Machine Act 2004. The bill I present today proposes amendments to the act that would introduce a medium to longer term target of 4,000 machines for the ACT, formalise an automatically reducing gaming machine cap to help reach this target, allow multi-venue club groups to move machines between their venues, and introduce a $250 per card per day withdrawal limit for automatic teller machines in gaming venues.

The government has long held the view that there are too many gaming machines in the territory. As a jurisdiction, we have the highest number of gaming machines per capita in Australia. A number of studies indicate there is a clear link between access to gaming machines and problem gambling. The government is committed to creating an environment in which no additional gaming machines will be operating in the


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