gambler too many. The Bligh government is meeting its commitment to gambling law reform and harm
minimisation in Queensland. Gaming licences are a privilege and not a right in Queensland and the
community is our priority when issuing licences.
I am proud to say that, under a Labor government, Queensland has some of the toughest gaming
conditions and will do anything that is necessary to penalise breaches. In fact, in the past 12 months our
gaming officers have issued 16,328, or $2.8 million in fines. We have also placed a cap on electronic
gaming machines, with 24,000 for clubs and 20,000 for hotels.
This draws a stark comparison to those opposite who have a record on gambling regulation in
Queensland which is abysmal. While we have some of the toughest conditions for getting a gaming
licence, in the bad old days of the National Party government you were only one brown paper bag away
from a roulette wheel or a poker machine. We do not know what the LNP policy is on responsible
gambling. However, who can forget the member for Beaudesert’s ‘Ausvegas’ responsible gambling
policy. That is right: under the strong leadership of the member for Surfers Paradise the member for
Beaudesert told anyone who would listen about the LNP’s solution to problem gambling. It is simple: you
take all the poker machines in Queensland and dump them in a Las Vegas style town near Roma.
I do not know what he has against the people of Roma. Then you give the Packer family a call so
that they can come along and build the infrastructure and the airport that would be needed to make it a
success. This he said ‘will alleviate the scourge of problem gambling’.
The Leader of the Opposition has no control over his party and we continue to see this on a daily
basis. When he stands up and takes control of his party they might take him seriously, including
opposition members.
