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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-04-06 Daily Xml
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Question Time

PARLIAMENTARY INTERNET FILTER

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:23): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council and Minister for Gambling a question about internet censorship in Parliament House.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Adelaide Casino is answerable to this parliament by virtue of the Adelaide Casino Act 1997 and the need for its casino duty agreement to be tabled for public scrutiny. It is also answerable to the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner, who is answerable to the gambling minister and this parliament through the Liquor Licensing Act 1997. Adelaide Casino is an entertainment tourist precinct that attracts over 2.5 million visitors each year. It is one of the largest purchasers of live music in South Australia and contributes to the economy by not only paying gambling taxes of about $20 million but also by offering employment to over 1,000 South Australians, paying an annual wage bill of about $55 million.

It also contributes a substantial amount of sponsorship to local events and community organisations by way of sponsorship, such as the Adelaide Cup. For many years members of parliament and their staff have had access to the casino's website: www.adelaidecasino.com.au. This website lists news items and links to the annual report and other important information about the venue. Despite not being able to gamble from this website, it has recently been blocked by the Parliament House internet server. My questions are:

1. Did the minister know, authorise and instigate the censorship of the Adelaide Casino website following his ministerial statement in this chamber about the Casino on 10 March 2011?

2. Is the minister aware that, notwithstanding the relationship this parliament has with the Adelaide Casino, websites of well-known Las Vegas casinos such as The Bellagio, Caesars Palace and The Venetian have not been blocked?

3. Is the minister aware that, although you cannot gamble from the Adelaide Casino website, you can gamble from websites like www.ozbet.com.au and www.betezy.com.au, which are still accessible to MPs and staff here in the parliament?

4. Does the minister agree with this level of censorship?

5. Will the minister now seek an audit of the parliamentary internet filter and that of other South Australian government departments, and either make it a level playing field or put an end to this nanny state nonsense?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:25): It is good to see the Hon. Mr Stephens maintaining his much vaunted independence from the gambling sector. The answer to all of those questions is no. It may be news to the honourable member, but parliament is not, in fact, an arm of the executive. Indeed, I think most parliamentarians are rather fiercely protective of the independence and sovereignty of parliament, and so why he would assume that I would have responsibility for the internet system in this house is rather beyond me.

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