Media Release – Government avoids questions on pokies deal

Media Release | August 2021

Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said the Gutwein Liberal Government continues to dig itself a deeper hole over the secret Federal Group casino deal.

“It’s been three days since Wednesday’s RTI revelations of a December casino pokies tax rate agreement between Premier Peter Gutwein and the Federal Group,” Ms Webb said.

“The State Government is under growing pressure – pressure not seen since former Minister Adam Brooks was accused of misleading Parliament. There can be no doubt that the FGM deal was deliberately hidden from Tasmanian voters and media during the last election campaign.

“The Premier has failed to explain why he was prepared to confirm policy details with a ‘stakeholder’ in December last year – the Federal Group – but hid those same details from his most important stakeholders, the Tasmanian people, at the State election.”

Ms Webb said this week the Minister for Finance Michael Ferguson has compounded the deliberate misleading of the public by claiming Cabinet didn’t know about the finalised casino pokies tax deal until after the election.

“Minister Ferguson has said this despite evidence the drafting of the legislation commenced well before the State election, a process requiring Cabinet authorisation.”

Ms Webb said the issues arising include:

• It’s clear the Premier knew the discount casino pokies tax deal was done well before the election was called.
• A Cabinet decision is needed to approve policy and authorise legislation be drafted.
• The document properties data of the Exposure Draft Bill reveals the document was created on March 9
• Cabinet must have considered and approved the Future Gaming Markets policy prior to March 9, in order to authorise the drafting process to begin.

Ms Webb said the Premier and his Government is yet to answer:

• On what date were the casino pokies tax rate negotiations formally finalised with Federal Group?
• What date did Cabinet first consider the Future Gaming Markets policy? Were details of the discount casino pokies tax rate in the material considered by Cabinet on that date?
• On what date did Cabinet authorise the drafting of legislation relating to the Future Gaming Markets policy? Were details of the discount casino pokies tax rate in the material considered by Cabinet on that date? If not, on what date were those details provided to OPC for later inclusion in the drafting process?

“Unfortunately, in response to questions today, the Premier again indulged in misleading rather than honest answers.

“This isn’t about when a ‘final’ decision was made by Cabinet to approve the subsequent draft legislation and its consultation materials – it is a question of when Cabinet considered and approved the Future Gaming Markets policy, including the discount casino tax rates, and the date(s) on which the Premier and Cabinet members knew what those rates were intended to be.”

Ms Webb said if Cabinet knew and concealed the intended discount casino pokies tax rate prior to the election, this constitutes a fundamental breach of trust.

“This is a shocking example of treating the community with blatant disrespect, if not contempt. It exposes big donors’ interests being put before the public interest.

“This also demonstrates protracted and calculated ‘lying by omission’. It presents serious ramifications for the Premier’s personal integrity, risks loss of confidence in his Government and makes any claim to transparency and accountability by this government a laughable sham.

“Tasmanians were denied the basic democratic courtesy of being informed of the discount casino pokies tax details at the polls – this government must forfeit any claim to a mandate for this deal.”