IMPORTANT MoU SIGNED AT CLUBSNSW CONFERENCE
An important Memorandum of Understanding – the fourth signed with the NSW Liberals and Nationals – has established the club policy agenda and commits the current NSW Government to key measures that will help secure the long-term viability of the club industry.
Central to the agreement was the commitment by the government to maintain gaming tax rates at their existing levels for the next four years.
The MoU, signed last Saturday by Gladys Berejiklian MP Premier of NSW; John Barilaro MP Deputy Premier of NSW; Peter O’Toole, Minister for Lands & Forestry and Minister for Racing, and Peter Newell OAM, Chairman ClubsNSW, also included several other commitments which provide regulatory stability across all aspects of operations as well as encouraging ways that the clubs and Government can work together for the benefit of the community.
Those other commitments include:
ClubGRANTS
Maintaining the ClubGRANTS contribution rebate whilst making it easier for community groups to apply for ClubGRANTS, and to broaden the scope of eligible causes clubs can support, particularly in a time of drought, disaster and emergency.
JOB CREATION
The NSW Liberals and Nationals Government will commit to working with the club industry to drive regional job creation by establishing a regional club trainee employment program. The government will also commit to facilitating a partnership between club, TAFE and other educational/training organisations and promote the use of club facilities by TAFE or other educational/training organisations for the education of students.
MODERNISING CLUB MEMBERSHIP
The government will commit to working with ClubsNSW to modernise the club sign-in and membership process using digital technology.
RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING
The Government will commit to a gambling policy informed by research and evidence and will work with clubs to introduce a new range of harm minimisation measures including more effective exclusions schemes including third party and prize and jackpot forfeitures for excluded gamblers. It will also work towards reducing the cash input limit from $7500 to $5000
GAMING POLICIES
The Government will commit to exploring how changing technologies can be responsibly adopted by clubs in the gaming space. It will continue exploring how modern gaming features can be introduced in a responsible manner and explore modern payment technologies. They will also work towards achieving a nationally consistent approach to gaming machine approvals in NSW.
RESPONSIBLE SERVICE OF ALCOHOL
The Government acknowledges that clubs are safe, family-friendly venues and they will seek to streamline the principle regulatory arrangements whilst maintaining a focus on compliance obligations and RSA.
SUPPORTING NEW CLUBS
The NSW Liberals and Nationals Government recognise the important role clubs play in communities through the provision of jobs and local sporting and social infrastructure and supports the establishment of new clubs so that new communities have access to an important social hub.
A copy of the MoU, along with ClubsNSW Chairman Peter Newell’s message to clubs and information about how to promote the MOU can be found here.>>
A copy of the MoU, with space for individual clubs and their local NSW Liberals & Nationals representative to sign, can be found here.
For more information please contact the Members Enquiries Centre on 1300 730 001.
