Crime and Corruption: You expected what?

Arbib urges more cohesion in fight against gambling-driven corruption Chris Barrett


THE states and territories must work together and with federal crime-fighting bodies against match fixing, according to the federal Minister for Sport, Mark Arbib.

Arbib expects laws will be updated to help prevent corruption in sport. He met chief executives and officials from seven sports - rugby league and union, Australian football, soccer, tennis, cricket and netball - yesterday in Sydney ahead of the release of a report by a Coalition of Major Professional & Participation Sports working party due in a fortnight.

This report is expected to recommend laws similar to those in Britain's 2005 Gambling Act, which include provisions for jail sentences of up to two years for athletes involved in illegal betting. Arbib said that while there was no evidence of systemic corruption in Australian sport, existing laws could require updating.

Advertisement: Story continues below ''We need to see the report,'' he said. ''There may need to be changes to legislation at the state level and the territory level.

''There may need to be amendments. That would be something that the federal government would consider. At the moment you're dealing with state crimes acts. We will look at the laws that are in place in the UK and look at international practice. There might be some minor amendments, it might require some larger scale changes which obviously would take time.''

Detectives of the NSW Police's Casino and Racing Investigation Unit are probing suspicious betting on the NRL match between Canterbury and North Queensland in August in an investigation that could run into next year.

NRL chief David Gallop was among those present at yesterday's meeting at Football Federation Australia headquarters.

Arbib said the wider introduction of codes of conduct was also required.