Status: In progress
On this page:
The Project
The licensee of the Huntly Hotel (592 Midland Highway, Huntly) has made an application to the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) to install 40 new electronic gaming machines (EGMs).
When a venue makes an application for EGMs, the City of Greater Bendigo (the City) must follow the process outlined by the VGCCC and the City’s own Reducing Harm from Gambling Policy. Part of the process is for the City to undertake a Social and Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) which includes surveying the local community.
The SEIA requires that the City seeks feedback from the local residents via a survey. The survey was undertaken independently of the City, but used the City’s engagement platform, Let's Talk (this platform). This page is for residents to access information on the project. The City is using an independent company, Insync to conduct the survey to assist with transparency and integrity.
The VGCCC set out rules for who in the community can complete this survey:
You received a letter in the mail from the City with a QR code to the survey as you are a resident living within the 5km radius of the Huntly Hotel.
If you need support to complete the online survey, an Officer from the City will provide technical support at the Huntly Community Hub, SES Building 608 Midland Highway Huntly. Tech support will be available:
- Wednesday April 24 from 10am – 2pm
- Wednesday May 1 from 10am – 2pm
Visit the Huntly Community Hub website
If you have any questions about the survey process, Insync, the external provider who is conducting the survey for the City, is available via 03 9909 9294.
Note, this phone number is unattended but please leave your name and number and someone will call you back.
Protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your information is very important to us and is fundamental to the way we serve you. The City’s privacy policies comply with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic).
The City is undertaking this survey through an independent company, Insync. This will assist with transparency and integrity.
Insync is an independent research and survey provider and has been appointed by the City to conduct this survey. Insync’s privacy policy complies with Australian legislation and prohibits the provision of your survey responses to the City or any third party. Only Insync will receive your responses – the City staff and Councillors will not be able to see your responses.
Insync will provide the City will with a report summarising the responses to the questions and results de-identified. This report will be included in the SEIA the City submits to the VGCCC.
A question in the survey asks for respondents to include their residential address information, this is to confirm respondents are a resident within 5km of the Huntly Hotel, and to prevent the duplication of surveys. It is not used to track individual survey responses.
For this survey, the City has received specialist advice that the VGCCC seeks direct feedback from those within a 5km radius of the Huntly Hotel. This is because this is the catchment area in which patrons are likely to live.
If residents outside of the 5km radius would like to share their opinion of the application, they can make a direct submission to the VGCCC.
The VGCCC recommends people outside the radius make their submission through the established portal on their website.
The VGCCC will only assess the impact of their specific application, not the impact of gambling in general.
The VGCCC has provided the City with official notification of the application for 40 new EGMs at the Huntly Hotel.
Under the Gambling Regulation Act 2003, the City has 60 days from receipt of this notification from the VGCCC to deliver a SEIA submission. This must be provided by close of business on 20 May 2024.
Below are the legislated timelines for this process:
- Day 1: VGCCC formally notify Council of the EGMs application at the Huntly Hotel
- Day 37: No later than day 37, Council must inform the VGCCC if it intends to submit a SEIA
- Day 60: No later than 60 days from notification, Council must submit the completed SEIA
- Day 120: within 60 days receiving the SEIA from Council, the VGCCC must hold a hearing and make a decision on the application.
Have your say
Residents living within 5km of the Huntly Hotel were invited to complete the survey. The survey has now closed.
