XN000022-1988-10-04 — Page 11

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1988

"LICENCES WILL NOT NORMALLY

BE GRANTED FOR PREMISES IN

LICENSED BUILDINGS IN WHICH THERE IS ALREADY A

GAMES CENTRE OR AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION; NOR IF THE PROPOSED CENTRE IS WITHIN A RADIUS OF 100 METRES FROM AN EXISTING CENTRE OR THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION,

"THESE NEW GUIDELINES ARE BEING ADOPTED IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CONCERN AT THE RECENT GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF AMUSEMENT GAMES MACHINES.

"THE NUMBER OF NEW MACHINES HAS INCREASED BY OVER 140 PER CENT IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. THIS HAS RESULTED IN AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PUBLIC COMPLAINTS ABOUT NEW CENTRES.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE AGC TRADE DISSATISFACTION WITH THE PRESENT SITUATION.

HAD ALSO EXPRESSED

"IN SOME CASES, LOCATIONS WHICH APPEAR TO MEET THE PRESENT CRITERIA ARE REFUSED A LICENCE BECAUSE OF PUBLIC OPPOSITION, HE SAID.

H

"BY ADOPTING THE NEW GUIDELINES, WE SHALL BE PUTTING THE TRADE ON NOTICE THAT THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO GAIN LICENCES IN PLACES WHERE PUBLIC OPPOSITION CAN BE EXPECTED.

"DISTRICT BOARDS WILL BE CONSULTED ON THE NEW GUIDELINES OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. IN THE LIGHT OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE

CAN DB'S, THESE GUIDELINES

BE ADJUSTED AND CHANGES MADE ΤΟ THE LICENCE CONDITIONS FOR ADULT AND CHILDREN'S AGC'S.

"WE HAVE BEEN OBLIGED TO ADOPT THE NEW GUIDELINES IMMEDIATELY SO AS TO AVOID BEING INUNDATED WITH APPLICATIONS TRYING то BEAT THE THREE MONTHS' CONSULTATION PERIOD DEADLINE.

"HOWEVER, WE INTEND TO TAKE THE VIEWS OF THE DB'S FULLY INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE FINALISING OUR POLICY.

**

IN ADDITION TO THESE GUIDELINES, THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING HAS PROPOSED THAT LICENCE CONDITIONS BE CHANGED TO RAISE THE MINIMUM AGE FOR ADMISSION TO AN ADULT GAMES CENTRE FROM 16 TO 18 YEARS.

"THIS WILL BRING THE AGE LIMIT FOR GAMES CENTRES INTO LINE WITH THAT ADOPTED IN OTHER LEGISLATION", THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

"AS EXISTING LICENCES ARE RENEWED, THE 18-YEAR AGE LIMIT WILL BE INCORPORATED SO THAT BY EARLY 1990, A UNIFORM AGE LIMIT OF 18 YEARS WILL APPLY TO ALL, ADULT GAMES CENTRES IN THE TERRITORY.

"AS AT PRESENT, WE SHALL MAINTAIN THE POLICY OF ENSURING THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST IS CAREFULLY CONSIDERED EVEN IF ALL OTHER CRITERIA IN THE GRANTING OF NEW LICENCES HAVE BEEN MET.

FOR

THE

"BACH NEW APPLICATION WILL BE REFERRED TO DISTRICT OFFICES THEIR ADVICE ON ACCEPTABILITY BY LOCAL RESIDENTS AND THE VIEWS OF DISTRICT OFFICES WILL RE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY BEFORE ANY NEW LICENCE IS GRANTED.

IT

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