STATUTES AMENDMENT (PLAY TRACKING TECHNOLOGY) AMENDMENT BILL

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (16:20): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Casino Act 1997 and the Gaming Machines Act 1992. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (16:21): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

This is the first of a series of bills I will be introducing to address the harm caused by gambling in the community. I said in my maiden speech that I was very concerned about the negative impact of poker machines on the people of this state and that I would reintroduce some of the bills that the Hon. Nick Xenophon had introduced in the previous parliament. I do not want to restate the arguments put forward when this bill was first introduced on 1 August 2007. I will provide a brief update on what has happened since then.

On 23 July 2008, the then gambling minister (Hon. Paul Caica) issued a media release announcing a trial of the use of a card used by poker machine gamblers to limit their spending. The trial was to be conducted at four venues across metropolitan Adelaide. I understand that the trial does not mandate the setting of time and cash limits of a player and also does not provide for the collection of information to be provided to players as to their transactions.

The trialled technology is a much weaker approach to that recommended by the Independent Gambling Authority in its report into smartcard technology in 2005. The Independent Gambling Authority made its recommendations regarding the feasibility and desirability of introducing player tracking technology over three years ago.

We have clear recommendations and companies that have technology ready to implement, and it is now up to parliament to give effect to those recommendations sooner rather than later in an effort to significantly reduce the incidence of problem gambling in the community. I ask honourable members to support the bill.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I. Hunter.