This story from Chris Uhlman, ABC in June 2012, it was all lip service from gillard to Wilkie no doubt.
Being the Labor Party would be obliged to compensate itself and a trade union as owners of gaming establishments, to back out saves a huge political fallout. Didn't Wilkie know the Labor Party and a construction industry union owned clubs in the ACT?
The Federal Government's proposed trial on pre-commitment technology for poker machines in the ACT may never go ahead because the clubs are not legally forced to participate.
ACT clubs gave in-principle agreement to take part in a trial, which is an agreement between independent MP Andrew Wilkie and the Government, but so far there has been no talk of how the trial will work.
The clubs will not sign on until the detail is settled and the ACT Government says it will not force clubs to participate in the trial.
Mr Wilkie was critical in helping Labor form a minority government in 2010, but his support was conditional on Prime Minister Julia Gillard introducing poker machine reforms.
He withdrew his support for the Government earlier this year when it reneged on the reforms after House of Representatives Speaker Peter Slipper defected from the Opposition to the crossbenches.
Mr Slipper's move gave the Government the breathing space it needed in the House of Representatives, allowing Ms Gillard to dump the agreement that had caused a huge backlash from clubs that threatened Labor's heartland.
The Prime Minister then offered Mr Wilkie a new watered-down deal, which the independent MP accepted on the condition the Government conduct a trial of mandatory pre-commitment in the ACT.
But the ACT clubs have an effective veto on whether they take part in the trial, which is slated for February next year.
Jeff House from Clubs ACT says his advice from the Commonwealth is that it does not have the constitutional power to force a trial on the Territory.
"The only way a trial will actually come about is through successful negotiations between Jenny Macklin and myself," he said.
"I think probably the ACT Government would be in a legislative position to [force a trial]."
However, it appears unlikely the Territory Government will force clubs to take part in the pre-commitment trial.
ACT Gaming and Racing Minister Joy Burch says she only supports a trial if the clubs are willing participants.
"We support a mandatory pre-commitment trial here in the ACT but that's conditional on the clubs ... being willing partners with the Federal Government," she said.
Compensation questions The pre-commitment technology is hugely unpopular with the clubs industry, which faces the loss of billions in revenue if it becomes law.
Clubs ACT calculates the Commonwealth will have to stump up $36 million to compensate the clubs for lost revenue during and after the trial.
The ACT is home to two clubs owned by the construction industry and the only club in Australia directly owned by the Labor Party.
Given the compensation will be based on existing revenue, those clubs would get between $4 and $5 million from the taxpayer.
ACT Opposition Leader Zed Seselja says it is "disgraceful" that the Government may provide compensation to the clubs.
"The Labor clubs provide significant money - millions of dollars - to the Labor Party both in the ACT and nationally for them to fight their election campaigns," he said.
"So for the Gillard Government to be giving the Labor clubs extra money or giving them millions of dollars that they can use for election campaigns I think is quite disgraceful."
Ms Burch says the compensation process will be thoroughly monitored.
"The monies between the Commonwealth and the club industry for participating in the trial will be very clearly marked out and accounted for," she said.
"I have no doubt the Commonwealth Government will be absolutely rigorous in accounting for those funds for the purpose for which they've been provided."
