New Australian gambling laws introduced

Andrews said the central aims of the Gambling Regulation Amendment (Review Panel) Bill 2007 were to create the Gambling Licenses Review Panel which will:

- Look at the processes for reviewing the regulatory structure and associated arrangements that will apply after the existing gaming and wagering licenses expire;

- Report on the processes for awarding the next licenses including the lotteries license and;

- Present a report that will be released publicly.

“The independent panel will provide further guarantees of integrity and add a final layer of scrutiny to the process of reviewing the gaming and wagering licenses and the process for issuing new licenses,” Andrews said.

The Panel will guarantee the lotteries and gambling license review processes will continue to be transparent and will take its recommendations through me to cabinet.

To be chaired by a retired judge, the panel will include a business person with expertise in corporate governance, a former senior public administrator or auditor and a representative from the community sector.

The review panel’s reports will be made public when the decision is announced on the future regulatory structures and arrangements for gaming machines and wagering and on the grant or issue of a license or authorization that is the subject of a report.

This announcement builds on previously released issues papers and Peter Kirby’s 2006 review of public consultations and submissions into gambling license arrangements after 2012.

“The establishment of the review panel will guarantee the public lotteries licensing process and the gaming machine and wagering licenses review and licensing processes will continue to be conducted with the highest level of probity, transparency and accountability,” Andrews said.