Western Victoria Region
Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (12:47): (582) My constituency question is for the Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, and it relates to the slowness in the approval of licences and the transfer of licences. I was contacted by Amanda Mead, who owns the Caramut pub. She has just taken over the premises, and it has taken so long for her to get an approval. It still has not happened. Similarly, I was contacted by the Ballarat Turf Club, who have an event – some might know it, it is called the Ballarat Cup – and they are waiting for an approval as well. Now, they are only seeking a temporary approval. So my question to the minister is: why is it taking so long for my constituents to get what has normally been a fairly straightforward process in the past? When COVID happened, approvals happened within days, and now it seems to have elongated to weeks and months. It is just ridiculous.