Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have all seen the advertisements on television offering Australians the opportunity to bet on the outcome of foreign lotteries. One of the most prevalent lottery agencies offering such a product is Lottoland. The temptation of purchasing a ticket in a foreign lottery, with payouts of sometimes many hundreds of millions of dollars, is often too good to resist for some Australians. They dream of opulent lifestyles of glitz, glamour and no mortgages. These are the same people who often have the odd flutter on a weeknight Casket ticket.

In recent times I have, along with a number of members here today, heard from local newsagents and lottery organisations that are fed up with this loophole-jumping organisation, Lottoland. Lottoland, which is based in Gibraltar, provides lottery betting products under a licence issued by the Northern Territory and is regulated by the Territory government. One local newsagent in my electorate of Ryan, newsXpress Kenmore, has had enough of Lottoland's continued tactics, which are taking away from their incomes and also the benefits to our communities. Ron and Lynsey, the proprietors of my local newsXpress, spoke with me during my recent visit to their shop, detailing concerns about this ever-increasing form of market dominance. From Ron and Lynsey's reports, Lottoland dos not offer real money-backed major prize pools with payouts that are guaranteed. Australians who support a fair go expect businesses to pay their fair share of taxes and not confuse them with tricky lottery advertising tactics.

Further, what is more distressing to small business lottery outlets is Lottoland's online structure, and base in the tax haven of Gibraltar. Real lotteries, like Golden Casket in Queensland, contribute collectively $1.1 billion a year in lottery tax, supporting important community facilities. Lottoland's structure offers no such positive contribution.

Ron and Lynsey typify many thousands of local businesses selling lottery products throughout Australia. To demonstrate the community support for their cause, they created a petition to collect the signatures of those who object to Lottoland. More than 650 locals signed this petition to demonstrate their support for local business and local lottery, whilst highlighting their concerns about Lottoland. Mr Deputy Speaker Buchholz, I seek leave to table the petition.

Leave granted.

Thank you. I want to assure not only the residents in my electorate but all concerned Australians that the coalition government is aware of issues raised by newsagents and other lottery agents about lottery products offered by Lottoland. I understand that Minister Fifield has written to the relevant Territory minister detailing various concerns about Lottoland and seeking their advice. The Commonwealth is examining its options for further regulatory steps and will take the Territory government's advice into account when it's received. The coalition understands how important small businesses are to our communities. That's why the Turnbull government has delivered so much for small business, including tax cuts and other red tape reduction.

Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The document will be forwarded to the Petitions Committee for its consideration and will be accepted subject to confirmation by the committee that it conforms with the standing orders.