Kicking off by welcoming new members, Chairman Gavin Marantelli noted that the previous two years had seen membership numbers (currently sitting at 179) stabilize - "this is the most stable the association has been for several years," he said.

THE VBA WELCOMES ITS NEW MEMBERS
Graham Adams
Alan Barker
Simon Beasley
Danny Galvin
Max Manning
Marcus Martin
Kevin Saber
Steven Lynn
Phillip Cooper

Also welcoming Lyndon Hsu (a bookmaker for three years) to the VBA Committee, Marantelli then paid tribute to long serving member Geoff Donald who, in his 16 years at the VBA has spent nine years as Vice Chairman and five as Chairman.

Later in the year honoured with a lifetime membership of the VBA, Donald - who has retired from the Committee, but remains a nominee on the Registration Board, received high praise for his efforts over the years.

"Geoff has always had uppermost in his mind what is best for bookmakers," said Marantelli.

Following were the announcements regarding new chairmen for the VBA sub-committees:
* Finance and Internet Betting: Lyndon Hsu
* Development Fund: Alex Bell
* Metropolitan Thoroughbred Racing: Alan Eskander
* Country Racing: “Paddy” O'Brien
* Greyhound Racing: Gavin Marantelli
* Harness Racing: John Bull
* Public Relations: Darren Gilham
* Sports & Futures Betting: Norm Short

Marantelli then asked for a minute's silence to honour ex-members who had passed away in the previous twelve months:
Jim (Slim) Egan
Rex Mayberry
Alby Purchase
Cliff Burton
Frank Minahan
Ray Millard

A lengthy discussion on the pros and cons of Internet betting ensued, Gavin Marantelli stating that it is "an opportunity that needs to be pursed if we are going to keep up with new technologies and other wagering operators."

Points raised in this discussion were:
• the ability of Internet betting to give bookmakers access to a wider range of markets.
• the provision of an economically sound way to process small bets.
• the Internet's ability to allow punters to have in front of them a "virtual betting ring."
• the best type of site to have; individual bookmakers or a community?
• the fact that bookmakers have to be on course to accept a bet over the Internet.

Sports bookmaker Norm Short, one of the first Victorian bookmakers online was full of praise for Internet betting, describing it as "revolutionary."

"We are doing over 70% of our business on the Internet," he said, "the phone doesn't ring very much at all any more."