The ACT government has flagged major concessions to the territory's gambling industry that could open up the new suburbs of Molonglo and Gungahlin to pokies clubs.
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And the government has also said it expects to be compensated for any loss of gaming taxes as a result of the federal government's proposed trial of pre-commitment technology.
In an address to industry group Clubs ACT yesterday, Gambling and Racing Minister Joy Burch announced a clear departure from the anti-pokies hard line pursued by her predecessor Andrew Barr. Ms Burch told the gathering at the Gungahlin Lakes Golf Club that the government was ready to consider the idea of a ''pool'' of surrendered poker machine licenses that would be available for independent or start-up clubs.
The move, which would not allow bigger clubs to swallow up their smaller competitors, would enable independent or start-up clubs to move into the greenfield suburbs of Molonglo and Gungahlin. This is a shift from previous government policy, which was to buy any licences that became available in an effort to reduce the number of machines in the territory from 5054 to 4000.
Ms Burch said, ''If we are going to reduce the number of machines, clubs should have the ability to better deploy the ones they have.
''An argument has been put for more flexibility through, for example, a more streamlined social impact assessment process and by retaining a 'pool' of machines to allow independent clubs, or new clubs to expand into greenfield sites, such as Gungahlin or Molonglo.
''Such a pool, I imagine, would be limited in terms of the number of machines and would be created by existing machines turned into the [Gambling and Racing] Commission, so there would be no increase in the total number of machines.''
Ms Burch also re-iterated the government's support for the pre-commitment trial, but with condition.
''First, that agreement between the Commonwealth and the club industry can be reached,'' she said.
''Second, that the ACT government is fully compensated for any loss of revenue.''
Clubs ACT chief executive Jeff House said the change in policy direction was good for small and start-up clubs.
''I think it's a good start and we need to recognise the fact that the legislation allows for group clubs to transfer machines but there's nothing in that legislation for non-group clubs,'' he said.
''There's a need for policy settings to allow the industry to grow as Canberra grows, and automatically means that the pool of machines needs to be re-established.''
Mr House also said his organisation was encouraged by Ms Burch's efforts to engage with the industry and her assurances that the ACT government saw an important role for licensed clubs in the community.
''There has been not just a change of minister but a change of attitude towards the industry,'' he said.
Mr House said that the need to compensate the ACT government for any loss of tax revenue as a result of the proposed trial had been acknowledged by the Commonwealth, the principal sponsor of the project, and the demand was unlikely to be controversial in the context of the trial.