Minister for Sport Mark Arbib today welcomed the NSW Law Reform Commission’s discussion paper on match fixing which recommends a 10 year offence for sports and event rorting.

Senator Arbib said the Commission’s paper on “Cheating at Gambling” now called for public comment on the issue of match fixing.

“Australia is taking the lead on stamping-out match fixing and illegal betting, much as we have on the international stage with issues like drugs in sport,” Senator Arbib said.

“Australia’s Sports Ministers last month agreed that corruption in sport was an emerging and critical issue facing Australian and international sport and that all Australian governments must work together to tackle the issue.

“At the meeting of Sports Ministers we discussed the work the NSW Government and the Law Reform Commission were doing and agreed to consider its work as part of our national approach.

“I thank the Commission and Attorney General John Hatzistergos for their work and I look forward to considering the report in detail, as well as hearing what the public has to say in their submissions.”

The Law Reform Commission’s paper canvasses the need for a National Sports Integrity Unit that would be independent of individual sports controlling bodies and operate along the lines of the Sports Betting Intelligence Unit in the United Kingdom.

Senator Arbib said Australia’s Sports Ministers have agreed to develop a National Framework to address match-fixing in sport using the following principles:

• supporting a nationally-consistent approach to legislation relating to the criminality of match-fixing;
• supporting information sharing and the development of better networks between governments, major sports, betting operators and law enforcers;
• developing a consistent national code of conduct for sport; and
• supporting international efforts to combat corruption in sport including the establishment of an international code of conduct and an international body similar to the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA).

Earlier this month Senator Arbib attended the International Olympic Committee Seminar on Combating Illegal and Irregular Sports Betting in Switzerland and outlined Australia’s approach.

“The Federal Government will continue to work on the issue of match fixing with the representatives of key industry organisations such as the Australian Olympic Committee, major professional and participation sports, the betting industry and law enforcement agencies,” Senator Arbib said.

The discussion paper is available at www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lrc. Submissions close on Friday 6 May 2011.