JOY Burch has announced plans to give Clubs more money through “community facilities such as child care centres, aged care and affordable housing,” she said.

“A Community Clubs Task Force will be formed to develop measures to help clubs become less reliant on gaming machine revenue and to streamline Government processes,” Joy said.

“Clubs play a unique and valuable role in the life of Canberra, through the contributions they make to our community and sporting organisations and through providing a gathering place for our people.

“Many clubs still rely on gaming revenue as their main source of revenue, which is not good for their continuing viability or the community.

“The government and Clubs ACT share a goal to help clubs develop more sustainable revenue streams through using their land to build community facilities such as child care centres, aged care and affordable housing.

“Today I gathered together experts from across government, particularly in the planning and land development area, to discuss ways to find a sustainable business model for clubs.

The working group will contain membership from the clubs industry as well as experts from the land and planning areas of Government.

Joy Burch’s Labor Party, it should be noted, is still a major operator of poker machines in clubs in the ACT.