❓ Opposition Leader questions the Premier about a past quote regarding Trackside and its potential social ills, particularly gambling addiction. The Premier clarifies the quote referred to poker machines, not Trackside, accusing the Opposition Leader of misrepresentation.
AnsweredQoN 766Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TRACKSIDE —
ELECTRONIC GAMING
766. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. I have
a direct quote. This is relating to Trackside, and according to my notes the
quote is —
''It brings some of those
social ills, in particular, gambling addictions and the like that we've
seen in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland now for decades to Western Australia
—
Point of Order
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : A
supplementary is simply that—a short supplementary question. This is a new
question that the member is asking.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I have not heard
the question yet, so I do not know how you know it is not a proper
supplementary. He has not finished it.
Dr M.D. Nahan : He doesn't
want to hear it.
Questions without Notice Resumed
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, have you got a supplementary question?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The Premier
has said there was no direct quote or else I would give it, so I am giving it.
Ms R. Saffioti : Okay, give it—the
whole thing!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I am.
Mr M. McGowan : Okay. Read it
out!
The SPEAKER : Members on my right!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : This relates
to Trackside —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, your
Premier has said he will take it. So finish it, Leader of the Opposition.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Okay.
The quote is —
''It brings some of those
social ills, in particular, gambling addictions —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Does the
Minister for Transport think social ills and gambling addiction is a joke?
Several members interjected.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The quote continues —
and the like that we've seen
in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland now for decades to Western Australia.
It is a very, very disturbing
development and I oppose it absolutely.''
That is the Premier on Trackside.
ELECTRONIC GAMING
766. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. I have
a direct quote. This is relating to Trackside, and according to my notes the
quote is —
''It brings some of those
social ills, in particular, gambling addictions and the like that we've
seen in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland now for decades to Western Australia
—
Point of Order
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : A
supplementary is simply that—a short supplementary question. This is a new
question that the member is asking.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I have not heard
the question yet, so I do not know how you know it is not a proper
supplementary. He has not finished it.
Dr M.D. Nahan : He doesn't
want to hear it.
Questions without Notice Resumed
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, have you got a supplementary question?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The Premier
has said there was no direct quote or else I would give it, so I am giving it.
Ms R. Saffioti : Okay, give it—the
whole thing!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I am.
Mr M. McGowan : Okay. Read it
out!
The SPEAKER : Members on my right!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : This relates
to Trackside —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, your
Premier has said he will take it. So finish it, Leader of the Opposition.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Okay.
The quote is —
''It brings some of those
social ills, in particular, gambling addictions —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Does the
Minister for Transport think social ills and gambling addiction is a joke?
Several members interjected.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The quote continues —
and the like that we've seen
in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland now for decades to Western Australia.
It is a very, very disturbing
development and I oppose it absolutely.''
That is the Premier on Trackside.
AnswerView source ↗
I would like to answer this question
—
Dr M.D. Nahan : Good.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I would like
to answer this question very directly.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, listen!
Mr M. McGOWAN : I have a copy
of the quotation.
Dr M.D. Nahan : I have it.
Mr M. McGOWAN : No, I have a copy
of the quotation here.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes; so do I.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It was 27 June
2016 at 5.08 pm.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Exactly.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I was on the
radio with Oliver Peterson, and I want to read out the full quotation. I quote —
It's a very disturbing
development.
That was the issue of Hon Col Holt
and the like, but I will get to the quote. The quote continues —
We've had a long period of
time in Western Australia without poker machines or without gaming machines in
the broader community. That has been a position both sides of politics have
held for a long period of time. Now the Government is talking about expanding
gaming machines out into the broader community. All that will mean, is more
people pour their money into those machines, more people particularly those on
pensions, and those who can least afford it, will lose money. It brings some of
those social ills, in particular gambling addictions and the like that we've
seen in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland now for decades to Western Australia.
It is a very, very disturbing development and I oppose it absolutely.
What
did I refer to? I have highlighted it there for the Leader of the Opposition—poker
machines or gaming machines!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : And when
people write articles about this —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, you
wanted to hear the answer—just listen.
Mr M. McGOWAN : And when
people write articles about this, maybe they should research it. When the Leader
of the Opposition makes comments about this, maybe he should repeat the whole
quote. Now, the only other example of gaming machines in Western Australia
today are the gaming machines at Crown casino.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : They are there
—
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Crown casino,
when it was Burswood more recently over the last 20 years or so, has wanted to
have its gaming machines replaced by poker machines. When I was Minister for
Racing and Gaming, I rejected that. Other ministers rejected it as well. The
only example of gaming machines in Western Australia are at Crown casino—you
go along, you press a button, the wheels spin, you press another button. I said
quite clearly that they would not be expanded to the broader community, and I also
said that poker machines would not be expanded to the broader community. So, in
other words, you have been completely and utterly caught out! You are unfit to
be opposition leader—you are unfit to be in this Parliament!
Several members interjected.
Point of Order
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : You should
throw this man out—he is an idiot!
Several members interjected.
Questions without Notice Resumed
The SPEAKER : Members, and the
member for Carine especially, I have the opportunity to throw you out on one
call if you are disrupting Parliament. You continually interjected there. I just
want you to know that the Speaker has that power. So keeping on going on and
thinking no-one is noticing—the Speaker has the power, if you are
disrupting Parliament, to make you leave the chamber.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
The Leader of the House made an unparliamentary remark to the Leader of the
Opposition, and I ask him to withdraw it.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : I am happy
to withdraw.
But on another point of order, I remind
you that four times—four times—the Leader of the Opposition
used the word ''hypocrite''.
Several members interjected.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : It is my
point of order, not yours.
The
SPEAKER : Sit down, because there
was someone else before your second point of order. Member for Armadale.
Dr A.D. BUTI : I think the
Leader of the House mentioned that the Leader of the Opposition mentioned ''hypocrite''
at least two or three times that I heard. I would like your ruling on whether
that is unparliamentary; and, if so, he should withdraw.
The SPEAKER : Do you want to
withdraw calling him a hypocrite, Leader of the Opposition?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Are you
advising me that that is unparliamentary?
The SPEAKER : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Okay. I withdraw.
—
Dr M.D. Nahan : Good.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I would like
to answer this question very directly.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, listen!
Mr M. McGOWAN : I have a copy
of the quotation.
Dr M.D. Nahan : I have it.
Mr M. McGOWAN : No, I have a copy
of the quotation here.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes; so do I.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It was 27 June
2016 at 5.08 pm.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Exactly.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I was on the
radio with Oliver Peterson, and I want to read out the full quotation. I quote —
It's a very disturbing
development.
That was the issue of Hon Col Holt
and the like, but I will get to the quote. The quote continues —
We've had a long period of
time in Western Australia without poker machines or without gaming machines in
the broader community. That has been a position both sides of politics have
held for a long period of time. Now the Government is talking about expanding
gaming machines out into the broader community. All that will mean, is more
people pour their money into those machines, more people particularly those on
pensions, and those who can least afford it, will lose money. It brings some of
those social ills, in particular gambling addictions and the like that we've
seen in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland now for decades to Western Australia.
It is a very, very disturbing development and I oppose it absolutely.
What
did I refer to? I have highlighted it there for the Leader of the Opposition—poker
machines or gaming machines!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : And when
people write articles about this —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, you
wanted to hear the answer—just listen.
Mr M. McGOWAN : And when
people write articles about this, maybe they should research it. When the Leader
of the Opposition makes comments about this, maybe he should repeat the whole
quote. Now, the only other example of gaming machines in Western Australia
today are the gaming machines at Crown casino.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : They are there
—
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Crown casino,
when it was Burswood more recently over the last 20 years or so, has wanted to
have its gaming machines replaced by poker machines. When I was Minister for
Racing and Gaming, I rejected that. Other ministers rejected it as well. The
only example of gaming machines in Western Australia are at Crown casino—you
go along, you press a button, the wheels spin, you press another button. I said
quite clearly that they would not be expanded to the broader community, and I also
said that poker machines would not be expanded to the broader community. So, in
other words, you have been completely and utterly caught out! You are unfit to
be opposition leader—you are unfit to be in this Parliament!
Several members interjected.
Point of Order
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : You should
throw this man out—he is an idiot!
Several members interjected.
Questions without Notice Resumed
The SPEAKER : Members, and the
member for Carine especially, I have the opportunity to throw you out on one
call if you are disrupting Parliament. You continually interjected there. I just
want you to know that the Speaker has that power. So keeping on going on and
thinking no-one is noticing—the Speaker has the power, if you are
disrupting Parliament, to make you leave the chamber.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
The Leader of the House made an unparliamentary remark to the Leader of the
Opposition, and I ask him to withdraw it.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : I am happy
to withdraw.
But on another point of order, I remind
you that four times—four times—the Leader of the Opposition
used the word ''hypocrite''.
Several members interjected.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : It is my
point of order, not yours.
The
SPEAKER : Sit down, because there
was someone else before your second point of order. Member for Armadale.
Dr A.D. BUTI : I think the
Leader of the House mentioned that the Leader of the Opposition mentioned ''hypocrite''
at least two or three times that I heard. I would like your ruling on whether
that is unparliamentary; and, if so, he should withdraw.
The SPEAKER : Do you want to
withdraw calling him a hypocrite, Leader of the Opposition?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Are you
advising me that that is unparliamentary?
The SPEAKER : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Okay. I withdraw.
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