❓ Mr Murray questions the Minister for Racing and Gaming about the potential privatisation of the TAB, given opposition from Racing and Wagering Western Australia. The Minister states he does not support privatisation and neither does the National Party.
AnsweredQoN 36Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TAB — PRIVATISATION
36. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the Minister for
Racing and Gaming:
I refer to the highly unusual public
statements made by officers from Racing and Wagering Western Australia opposing
the privatisation of the TAB.
(1) What is the
minister's position and the Western Australian National Party's
position on the government's asset sales task force's targeting
of the TAB?
(2) What feedback from industry
stakeholders has the minister received about the privatisation?
(3) Will the TAB be privatised?
36. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the Minister for
Racing and Gaming:
I refer to the highly unusual public
statements made by officers from Racing and Wagering Western Australia opposing
the privatisation of the TAB.
(1) What is the
minister's position and the Western Australian National Party's
position on the government's asset sales task force's targeting
of the TAB?
(2) What feedback from industry
stakeholders has the minister received about the privatisation?
(3) Will the TAB be privatised?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) I
thank the member for the question. I am on record in this place saying that I
do not support the privatisation of the TAB. I think that the TAB in Western
Australia plays a really important part in the funding and ongoing success and
health of the racing industry, which is extremely important to Western
Australia. Talking about Racing and Wagering Western Australia, I have
discussed this with RWWA on many occasions. RWWA does not support the
privatisation of the TAB. I have given an assurance that when the time comes,
if RWWA thought it was in the best interests of the racing industry to
privatise the TAB, obviously I would listen to that. It is not about to do
that, I can assure members of that. From speaking to industry people, there is
not support for the privatisation of the TAB. That is the position at the
moment.
Mr
M. McGowan : Is it the government's position that it will not be
privatised?
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : Yes.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : Or the National Party's position?
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : I do not think the Nationals actually have a formal position
on it, but formally the Nationals would not support the privatisation of the
TAB. I have said this in this house before: if it was in the best interests of
the racing industry, the government would consider it. My experience shows that
privatisations in other states, particularly in Tasmania and South Australia,
have not been good for the industry. They in fact have been detrimental to the
industry. Some of the other privatisations have been different because they
have involved poker machines as part of that deal, which has made it a
different scenario. I do not support the privatisation of the TAB.
thank the member for the question. I am on record in this place saying that I
do not support the privatisation of the TAB. I think that the TAB in Western
Australia plays a really important part in the funding and ongoing success and
health of the racing industry, which is extremely important to Western
Australia. Talking about Racing and Wagering Western Australia, I have
discussed this with RWWA on many occasions. RWWA does not support the
privatisation of the TAB. I have given an assurance that when the time comes,
if RWWA thought it was in the best interests of the racing industry to
privatise the TAB, obviously I would listen to that. It is not about to do
that, I can assure members of that. From speaking to industry people, there is
not support for the privatisation of the TAB. That is the position at the
moment.
Mr
M. McGowan : Is it the government's position that it will not be
privatised?
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : Yes.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : Or the National Party's position?
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : I do not think the Nationals actually have a formal position
on it, but formally the Nationals would not support the privatisation of the
TAB. I have said this in this house before: if it was in the best interests of
the racing industry, the government would consider it. My experience shows that
privatisations in other states, particularly in Tasmania and South Australia,
have not been good for the industry. They in fact have been detrimental to the
industry. Some of the other privatisations have been different because they
have involved poker machines as part of that deal, which has made it a
different scenario. I do not support the privatisation of the TAB.
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