Calls to reopen casino to kick-start Christmas Island economy
Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre. (Getty) Getty
The reopening of a casino would help Christmas Island attract more Asian tourists and boost its economy, a parliamentary committee has found.
The committee into the Indian Ocean territories said a casino would help support the island's economy in the face of an expected slowdown of activity in its immigration detention facilities and phosphate mining.
The community wants a casino, and the government should set up a legal framework to allow gambling activity "without delay", the committee said in an interim report on Tuesday.
Another proposal would allow Christmas Island's district high school to again accept fee-paying international students.
There are also concerns about the population of the Cocos Islands, where 60 to 80 per cent of residents are estimated to be dependent on welfare.
Some locals have complained about the cost and poor quality of food, given the high price of air and ship freight.
The committee called on the government to establish a sea freight service offering more regular and affordable shipping.
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