LOTTERIES COMMISSION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (15:16): My question is again to the Premier. Why does the Premier support the sale of the Lotteries Commission when the Lotteries Commission is an asset that produces significant income for this state?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:17): Nothing has changed since I announced this measure at budget time. It simply makes sense, firstly, to realise the value that we have—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Nothing has changed, indeed, since the budget on this matter and the reasons remain the same. I am rather perplexed that the opposition need to ask it again. Nonetheless, for their benefit—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —I will do so. The first one is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: You have asked the question, you will listen.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —that it certainly makes sense to realise the value that we have in some assets where there no longer is a reason—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —for the government to retain its money that it has got sunk—

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Davenport, you are warned.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —in those assets. Secondly, as I said at budget time, the gambling market has changed considerably since the creation of SA Lotteries back in the 1960s. It is now a far more competitive market. Importantly, it is also a national market. It does not make sense for us to continue to hold equity in SA Lotteries, so we will create—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —a sublicence. We will then invite a public bidding process for an outside organisation to come up and run that licence on our behalf. With regard to the revenue, SA Lotteries provides to the state budget every year about $80 million in revenue. Of that, $60 million is in gambling taxes and $20 million is in dividends. We will continue to receive the gambling taxes, which are overwhelmingly the bulk of the revenue that SA Lotteries provides to state government.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!