Page 4860 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 27 November 2018

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Radiation Protection Act—Radiation Protection (Fees) Determination 2018 (No 1)—Disallowable Instrument DI2018-259 (LR, 25 October 2018).

Territory Records Act—

Territory Records (Advisory Council) Appointment 2018 (No 1)—Disallowable Instrument DI2018-264 (LR, 29 October 2018).

Territory Records (Advisory Council) Appointment 2018 (No 2)—Disallowable Instrument DI2018-265 (LR, 29 October 2018).

University of Canberra Act—

University of Canberra Council Appointment 2018 (No 1)—Disallowable Instrument DI2018-272 (LR, 15 November 2018).

University of Canberra Council Appointment 2018 (No 2)—Disallowable Instrument DI2018-273 (LR, 15 November 2018).

University of Canberra Council Appointment 2018 (No 3)—Disallowable Instrument DI2018-274 (LR, 15 November 2018).

Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Act—Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Amendment Regulation 2018 (No 1)—Subordinate Law SL2018-20 (LR, 30 October 2018).

Gaming Legislation Amendment Bill 2018

Debate resumed.

MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (3.39): The Greens are pleased to support this bill which legislates for some key items in the parliamentary agreement, including the pathway to get down to 4,000 gaming machines in the ACT by 2020. This bill is a reflection of the Greens’ longstanding commitment to reduce harm from poker machines and the shift we have seen in this Assembly to take a public health approach to gambling policy.

The bill provides a range of other significant changes, including amendments to the community contributions scheme in response to the Auditor-General’s report and the recent consultation process. The bill will improve harm minimisation by increasing penalties for a breach of the code of conduct and allow for the use of undertakings under the Gaming Machine Act 2004 as an enforcement measure. The bill also includes an important symbolic change, with references to “problem gambling” changed to reflect a harm reduction approach, taking the shame and stigma away from those who have experienced gambling harm.

For a long time the Greens have said that a business model that relies on revenue from problem gambling is a broken business model. We want to support clubs and our community to move away from poker machines and start taking problem gambling seriously, and this package is a crucial step in that process. Since the inclusion in the parliamentary agreement of a commitment to reduce the number of poker machines in the ACT to 4,000 the government has been engaging with clubs, community groups and people with lived experience to develop a pathway to achieve that goal.


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