NEWS 03
SATURDAY AUGUST 22 2015
UBET triumphs in tote race
EXCLUSIVE
MATT WILLIAMS
UBET has been awarded a 20year totalisator licence to continue operating at Territory
pubs, clubs and racetracks.
The NT News can reveal
after an exhaustive ninemonth
process,
UBET
defeated Victorian-based Tabcorp to win the tote rights –
estimated to be worth more
than $350 million for Territory
taxpayers until 2035.
Racing Gaming and Licencing Minister Peter Styles said
the decision to stick with the
existing operator meant there
would be no service disruptions, which would have been
the case had Tabcorp won.
The current licence will be
extended for two months so
detailed terms and conditions
can be negotiated for the 20year licence.
“This new agreement will
also mean more job opportunities for Territorians, a better
outcome for the thoroughbred
and greyhound racing sectors
and a lower overall call on taxpayer funds,” Mr Styles said.
“The agreement delivers a
greater dollar return to the
Territory, increased employment opportunities and a better experience for punters
through a new suite of products and a better experience in
retail outlets.”
The licence means UBET
will pool bets on approved
events and then deduct a commission. The remainder of the
pool is divided among the winning wagers.
Mr Styles said the government had negotiated increased
training for staff working in
venues to support responsible
gambling. UBET NT, a subsidiary of Tatts Group, exclusively
holds all retail outlets including pub, club and casino outlets. They also have on course
outlets at major racing venues
including Fannie Bay, Pioneer
Park and Winnellie Park.
UBET holds the totalisator
licence in Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia.
Tabcorp hold the licence in
Victoria, NSW and ACT.
Western Australia is the only
jurisdiction where the totalisator is government owned.
Tatts Group has held the
licence for 15 years since the
government privatised the NT
TAB in 2000.
Boy linked
to school
bomb post
A 15-YEAR-OLD boy is expected to be charged over an
online threat to blow up a Darwin school unless a ransom
was paid.
A joint Northern Territory
and Australian Federal Police
operation identified the 15year-old Darwin boy as the
person allegedly responsible
for posting the threat.
The post showed three
heavily armed and hooded
men displaying the Islamic
State flag with a warning that
unless money was paid, an unnamed Darwin school would
be blown up “in two days”.
Posted on a popular Darwin
community group page, the
threat did not specify how
much was to be paid, or who
was to receive the ransom.
Commander Michael Murphy of the NT Police said the
post and the account were subsequently deleted.
“A number of users of the
Facebook page felt directly
threatened and reported the
post to the Northern Territory
Police and the National Security Hotline,” Commander
Murphy said.
Police who searched the
boy’s home in suburban Darwin seized a number of items.
“The public can be reassured that there is no imminent threat to any school in the
Darwin region relating to this
incident,” Commander Murphy said.
The investigation is continuing and the teenager has
yet be charged with any offence.
NT’s No.1 fan Berny Hickey will ask her girlfriend Sonia to commit to her forever even though same-sex marriage is not allowed in Australia.
Take it as read, Berny will love Sonia forever more
BERNY Hickey and Sonia
Jones have a classic Territory
love story.
Now, instead of getting
down on one knee, Berny is
using the couple’s favourite
newspaper, the NT News, to
propose. They were housemates in Parap, before locking
eyes one night at Bogarts.
“Everything in my life
changed that night,” Berny
said. And while work commitments meant they spent time
apart, during their time together exploring NT was the goal.
“We did absolutely everything, including things we
shouldn’t have, involving croc
cages on Lake Bennett,” Berny
said. “We explored the whole
Territory, did weekly trips to
Douglas Daly hot springs,
worked with indigenous communities … we’re possible the
NT’s two biggest fans.”
With the couple planning to
leave Darwin for a holiday in
South America and a stint
working in the US, Berny says
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Picture: ELISE DERWIN
proposing to Sonia in the NT
News was something she had
long thought about doing.
“We have plans for a big future together but Darwin will
always be close to our hearts,”
she said.
With politicians embroiled
in a debate over same-sex marriage, Berny says it’s “crazy”
they can get married in Sonia’s
home country of Wales, or in
the US, but not here.
“It’s been forgotten that this
is about people, I want to express my love just like anyone
else can,” she said. “I want us to
keep making each other laugh
so we can be each other’s crazy
ladies forever.”