What is the Government doing to stop hotels and clubs lending money to gamblers to play gaming machines?
Mr GRANT McBRIDE: Hotels and clubs are not to act as banks. I repeat that hotels and clubs in New South Wales are not to provide lending facilities to their customers. I cannot make it any simpler than that, even for members of The Nationals. Recently the Department of Gaming and Racing conducted an investigation into a Sydney hotel, the Markets Hotel at Flemington. Allegedly, the hotel had provided cash loans and credit advances to a problem gambler for almost a year. Departmental officers visited the hotel, conducted an audit and served notice on the licensee requiring records and information. An on-site inspection of the premises last month also found that the hotel’s EFTPOS facility was illegally located in the gaming room. As a result of these actions the Director of Liquor and Gaming is considering proceedings before the New South Wales Licensing Court in the next few months. I understand that it will be alleged that since April 2004 a patron was loaned about $30,000 cash by the