Page 4830 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 1 November 2017
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(3) further notes that there are a number of other recommendations yet to be implemented by the Government despite tripartisan support; and
(4) calls on the ACT Government to:
(a) actively engage with all clubs and all representative bodies;
(b) provide certainty to the sector by not frequently changing regulations; and
(c) commit to a moratorium of any technological change to electronic gaming machines for this term of Government, noting it is significantly reducing the number of machines in the Territory.
I do not understand why there is such contention in this space. Seriously, I do not understand why we are fighting so much in this area, and I think it is time to cease. It is high time that we had a serious conversation about our community clubs in this chamber, to call time out and to allow us to have some certainty for this very important part of our community. I call upon this government to stop moving the goalposts for our clubs, to provide some certainty and to stop treating our community clubs with contempt. Additionally, I would like to believe that this Assembly can fully embrace the important social and economic contribution that clubs make to Canberra, because it is important.
Over the last decade our clubs have faced a whirlpool of ever-changing rules, regulations, taxes and charges that have forced, among other things, the closure or the merging of more than a dozen clubs. West Belconnen Leagues Club was swallowed up by the Raiders; the Southern Cross Club took over Wests at Jamison; the Hellenic Club took over the Canberra RSL. We have seen the closure of the Southern Cross Club at Kaleen; we have seen the merger of the Canberra Club and the Canberra Services Club, with the merged entity operating at the old RUC site at Barton.
The Braddon Club has closed; the Tuggeranong Valley Leagues Club has closed; the Sports Club at Kaleen was very close to going into administration and is now part of the Eastlake group; the Southern Cross Club at Turner has become the RUC at Turner, with the RUC now just operating one site; the Yamba Sports Club has permanently closed; the Magpies City Club has permanently closed; the Serbian Club has permanently closed; the West Deakin Hellenic Bowling Club has permanently closed. In recent months we have seen movement to bring the Magpies at Belconnen from two locations down to one. During this time we have also seen the Vikings Group sell the Capital Golf Club because it was not viable, and it is a similar story with the Ainslie Group and the Canberra City Bowling Club.
I do not know if you are noticing a pattern here, Madam Assistant Speaker. It is no wonder that our clubs have felt the pinch after a decade of costly regulatory changes, including multiple tax increases, the introduction of the problem gambling fund levy, an increase to the community contribution level, ATM bans, EFTPOS restrictions and a reduction in the total number of electronic gaming machines. The liquor fees are astronomically higher than over the border in New South Wales, as are the water charges.
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