❓ Mr. Johnston questions the Minister for Small Business on the lack of commission increases for Lotterywest retailers, given rising business costs. The Minister responds by highlighting the changing gambling landscape and the need for retailers to adapt, while also warning of the potential negative impacts of increasing commissions on Lotterywest's community contributions.
AnsweredQoN 1008Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOTTERYWEST RETAILER COMMISSIONS
1008. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the
Minister for Small Business:
I ask a supplementary question. I
note that the minister did not answer whether he supports increasing retailer
commissions. What does the minister say to small business Lotterywest agents
about the increasing rents and outgoings such as land tax while there is no
increase in retailer commissions?
1008. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the
Minister for Small Business:
I ask a supplementary question. I
note that the minister did not answer whether he supports increasing retailer
commissions. What does the minister say to small business Lotterywest agents
about the increasing rents and outgoings such as land tax while there is no
increase in retailer commissions?
AnswerView source ↗
I would say the same thing that I say to TAB agents: as the
future unfolds and as people change the method in which they gamble, at lot of
people will still walk —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Let me finish. A lot of people will still walk into a
lotteries kiosk in a shopping centre or a newsagent. A lot of individual
sellers of Lotterywest products find innovative ways of marketing the direct
customer-to-customer contact so that they can make that commission—for
example, using group syndicates—in order to provide a different kind of
product and find a niche in the market. I say to them: the future will change
and those agents will have to look at their business model and sustainability.
I cannot stop the internet. I cannot stop online gambling. The problem is that
members opposite do not understand that online gambling has no limits. It does
not know when the state of Western Australia finishes and the state of South
Australia or any other state starts.
Point of Order
Mr
W.J. JOHNSTON : With respect, I know this is an interesting issue
about online products, but that is not what I asked about. I asked about
commissions that are paid.
The
SPEAKER : Can you address that please, minister?
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
If we start overdoing the commission it will have a net impact on the amount of
people who will then buy a different odd-return Lotterywest ticket. It will
have a net impact on the amount of money that goes back to Lotterywest and is
then given back to the community. There is no easy solution to this. If we
start to effectively reduce the odds paid on lottery tickets, some of the
bigger gamblers who put an awful lot of money into Lotterywest—sometimes
successfully, most times not so successfully—will find somewhere else
to gamble their money, and that may be with an overseas lottery organisation
because the internet knows no boundaries. It is not that easy, member for
Cannington.
future unfolds and as people change the method in which they gamble, at lot of
people will still walk —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Let me finish. A lot of people will still walk into a
lotteries kiosk in a shopping centre or a newsagent. A lot of individual
sellers of Lotterywest products find innovative ways of marketing the direct
customer-to-customer contact so that they can make that commission—for
example, using group syndicates—in order to provide a different kind of
product and find a niche in the market. I say to them: the future will change
and those agents will have to look at their business model and sustainability.
I cannot stop the internet. I cannot stop online gambling. The problem is that
members opposite do not understand that online gambling has no limits. It does
not know when the state of Western Australia finishes and the state of South
Australia or any other state starts.
Point of Order
Mr
W.J. JOHNSTON : With respect, I know this is an interesting issue
about online products, but that is not what I asked about. I asked about
commissions that are paid.
The
SPEAKER : Can you address that please, minister?
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
If we start overdoing the commission it will have a net impact on the amount of
people who will then buy a different odd-return Lotterywest ticket. It will
have a net impact on the amount of money that goes back to Lotterywest and is
then given back to the community. There is no easy solution to this. If we
start to effectively reduce the odds paid on lottery tickets, some of the
bigger gamblers who put an awful lot of money into Lotterywest—sometimes
successfully, most times not so successfully—will find somewhere else
to gamble their money, and that may be with an overseas lottery organisation
because the internet knows no boundaries. It is not that easy, member for
Cannington.
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