❓ Opposition Leader Dr. Nahan questions Premier McGowan on a perceived backflip regarding the expansion of Trackside electronic gaming in light of the TAB sale. McGowan defends the government's position, citing support for small business owners running TAB agencies.
AnsweredQoN 771Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TRACKSIDE —
ELECTRONIC GAMING
771. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Will the Premier come clean with Western Australians and admit that he did
oppose the expansion of Trackside in opposition and that his government's
new approach to the sale of the TAB will allow the expansion of Trackside and
is another blatant Labor backflip?
ELECTRONIC GAMING
771. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Will the Premier come clean with Western Australians and admit that he did
oppose the expansion of Trackside in opposition and that his government's
new approach to the sale of the TAB will allow the expansion of Trackside and
is another blatant Labor backflip?
AnswerView source ↗
We have come up with a way forward
after a large amount of consultation with people across the industry. I would
like to congratulate both the Minister for Racing and Gaming and the Treasurer
for all their work on this.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Frankly, the
last government grappled with this issue for eight and a half years.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : There was no
resolution of the issue. Trackside is a virtual racing product on which a person
bets, in the same way they would bet on an actual product in a TAB agency. We
support it because it supports small business. That is why we support it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : I support
small business people. There is a TAB agency just near my house. If one goes
into a TAB, it is with the purpose of betting. A person goes in there with the
purpose of betting on a horserace, the trots or the greyhounds.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Dawesville!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The Trackside
product looks to me, as an outsider, to be virtually the same. I am not someone
who gambles. Although I was the Minister for Racing and Gaming, I do not
gamble; I do not find it enjoyable and it does not particularly interest me,
but I know that for a lot of people, it does. If a person goes in there, they
can gamble on a product on the screen. It can be a horseracing product, which
is Trackside, or a meet at Flemington, Ascot, Belmont or wherever it might be.
What it does is provide a little more support for those TAB agents, who are basically
mums and dads who run small businesses out there across Western Australia. It
is fair and reasonable that they receive some support out of this package.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members on my
left!
after a large amount of consultation with people across the industry. I would
like to congratulate both the Minister for Racing and Gaming and the Treasurer
for all their work on this.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Frankly, the
last government grappled with this issue for eight and a half years.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : There was no
resolution of the issue. Trackside is a virtual racing product on which a person
bets, in the same way they would bet on an actual product in a TAB agency. We
support it because it supports small business. That is why we support it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : I support
small business people. There is a TAB agency just near my house. If one goes
into a TAB, it is with the purpose of betting. A person goes in there with the
purpose of betting on a horserace, the trots or the greyhounds.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Dawesville!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The Trackside
product looks to me, as an outsider, to be virtually the same. I am not someone
who gambles. Although I was the Minister for Racing and Gaming, I do not
gamble; I do not find it enjoyable and it does not particularly interest me,
but I know that for a lot of people, it does. If a person goes in there, they
can gamble on a product on the screen. It can be a horseracing product, which
is Trackside, or a meet at Flemington, Ascot, Belmont or wherever it might be.
What it does is provide a little more support for those TAB agents, who are basically
mums and dads who run small businesses out there across Western Australia. It
is fair and reasonable that they receive some support out of this package.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members on my
left!
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