Australian Capital Territory Bills Explanatory Statements

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GAMING MACHINE (POLITICAL DONATIONS) AMENDMENT BILL 2003

v2002

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY



Gaming Machines (Political Donations) Amendment Bill 2003



EXPLANATORY STATEMENT





CIRCULATED BY THE AUTHORITY OF
HELEN CROSS, MLA




















Gaming Machines (Political Donations) Amendment Bill 2003



EXPLANATORY STATEMENT


PURPOSE


This Bill seeks to place a distance between clubs and poltical parties and associated entities so as to make the process of gaming machine allocation more transparent. This will be done through making donations to political parties and associated entities by clubs a contravention of the Gaming Machine Act 1987. Currently, it is perceived that political donations made by clubs to political parties and associated entities are made to gain some level of influence with the party or associated entity. Making political donations by clubs to political parties and associated entities a contravention of the Gaming Machine Act 1987 will make allegations of bias or influence, in regards Gaming Machine re/allocation baseless.

It should also be noted clubs have a virtual monopoly over gaming machines in the ACT. This means that clubs can gain, or be perceived to gain, further influence through donating money to political parties received from gaming machines. This creates an inequity in the level of influence clubs can have within political parties and associated entities because other liquor licensees (such as Taverns and Pubs) do not receive the gaming machine revenue clubs do.

Making donations from clubs to political parties or associated entities a contravention of the Gaming Machine Act 1987 will furthermore ensure more gaming machine revenue is spent on the community and the club itself.

This Bill will not come into effect until 1 July 2004 to give licensed clubs time to comply








CLAUSES


This amendment bill seeks to insert a new section 30I into the Gaming Machine Act 1987.

Clause 30I (1) provides grounds for disciplinary action against a club that is a licensee to give money to a political party or associated entity.

Clause 30I (2) outlines the measures that can be taken against a club that breaches section 30I (1). These can include a reduction of a clubs gaming machines, a fine, a censure, suspension of a clubs gaming license or the cancellation of the clubs licence.

 

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