Question – Social and Economic Impact Study into gambling in Tasmania

Questions asked by the Hon Meg Webb MLC on 19 July 2021. Answered by the Hon Michael Ferguson  Minister for Finance on 24 August 2021.  

I (Ms Webb) note that I have put these questions through on 19 July so perhaps the answers might reflect answers to the questions at that point and identify changes that have happened since.   

QUESTION (1)  With regard to the fifth Social and Economic Impact Study into gambling in Tasmania (SEIS), the public consultation process as stated on page 132 of the SEIS report, volume 1, and I quote: resulted in 18 public submissions which are available on the Liquor and Gaming Branch website.

And, further: There were also 49 individual community submissions which were provided to the researchers. 

Can the Government –

(a)     confirm that those 49 community submissions were considered and taken into account by the South Australian Centre for Economic Studies (SACES) who undertook the research;

(b)     confirm that those 49 submissions were also provided to the Department of Treasury and Finances by SACES;

(c)     explain why those 49 submissions considered, if they were by SACES, are not acknowledged nor published on the Liquor and Gaming Branch website along with the other 17 submissions publicly available on that same website;

(d)     clarify why the SACES Report, volume 1, page 132, states 18 public submissions are available on the Liquor and Gaming Branch website when only 17 submissions were made publicly available upon release of the fifth SEIS on Thursday, 1 July 2021. 

ANSWER (1):     The South Australian Centre for Economic Studies was contracted to conduct an independent study of the social and economic impacts of gambling in Tasmania.  This included the running of a public submissions process, where SACES received 49 submissions from individuals and 18 submissions from the community services sector, local government and industry stakeholders.  All of these submissions have been taken into account in formulating the report. 

Respondents were provided the opportunity to make a confidential submission and a number of respondents chose to do so.  Submissions from community organisations, members of parliament and researchers, local government and industry not marked confidential were uploaded to the Department of Treasury and Finance website on 1 July 2021.  There were 17 in total, as one was marked confidential, and requested it not be published.  The figures on page 132 of volume 1, referring to 18 published submissions, was an error.  Since the release of the SEIS, clarification has been sought from SACES regarding the publication of submissions provided by individuals, noting that over half had requested some level of confidentiality.  SACES has confirmed all 49 submissions can be published with confidential submissions de-identified.  These submissions have been uploaded to the Treasury website. 

QUESTION (2):  The SEIS website states:

Public submissions were invited to the fifth study through advertising on social media; direct approaches to community, peak body and industry organisations; the University of Adelaide website; this website and via a newspaper advertisement.

(2)     Can the government:

(a)     detail whether any of the publicly-listed 17 submissions on the Liquor and Gaming Branch website were derived from peak body and industry groups’ call for public submissions;

(b)     please provide copies and dates of publication of the following government items detailed on the Liquor and Gaming Branch’s Social and Economic Impact Study’s website in relation to the fifth SEIS:

          (i)    social media advertising and posts

          (ii)   direct approaches to community, peak body and industry organisations; and

          (iii)  newspaper advertisements specifying the newspapers in which the advertisement was published.

(c)     please provide any departmental or government guidelines regarding public consultation processes and procedures.

(d)     publish as soon as practicable on the Liquor and Gaming Branch website the outstanding 49 submissions, except those in which confidentiality was requested.

ANSWER (2):     The conduct of the public consultation process was determined by the South Australian Centre for Economic Studies (SACES).  SACES has significant experience in the delivery of these types of studies.  As an independent study, the SEIS was not subject to government public consultation guidelines.  Written submissions were invited through a variety of communication channels, including print media, websites (both SACES and the Liquor and Gaming Branch), and direct emails to key stakeholders including those who provided a submission to the 2017 study.  This approach was consistent with that undertaken for the 2017 study.  In addition, the Gambling Support Program promoted the public submission process through its social media, and peak bodies, such as the Local Government Association of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Hospitality Association, were asked to distribute the paper and promote it to their members.  Circulation through a range of communication channels occurred seeking submissions.

Ms WEBB – To follow-up, I asked about newspaper advertisements from the government. That was not detailed in your answer.  To clarify, the government, other than a newspaper advertisement, did not publicise it broadly to the public.

Mrs HISCUTT – I delivered the answers I have.  I ask the member for Nelson to please communicate with my office to submit another question.

See more questions from Meg here