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Date: 22nd September 2004 Ref No: 2604
Don’t Delay – Pass POKIES Bill
UnitingCare Wesley is disappointed at the approaches to the current Pokies legislation that are being taken by elements of the gambling industry. We call on parliamentarians to ignore the stalling tactics and the mis-information by some segments of the industry and support the current legislation.
The SANFL is calling for football clubs, with over 20 poker machines,
to be exempt from the proposed 3,000 reduction in machine numbers. “The
SANFL has missed the point – the legislation is about reducing
the harm of problem gambling, they do not appear to have made any attempts
to acknowledge, nor reduce the massive impacts of problem gambling in
South Australia,” said Mark Henley.
UnitingCare Wesley urges the SANFL to make its problem gambling reduction
strategy public and to make it’s financial projections about impacts
from poker machine reductions open to public scrutiny. Good public policy
can not be made on the basis of anecdotes. (We also note that the SANFL
failed to be part of any concerned sector / gambling industry dialogue
or Independent Gambling Authority hearings, so they have not recognised
the primary issue of the legislation)
“
We are also concerned that already there is at least one club who’s
gambling operations are conducted by a hotel, yet they seek exemptions
from legislation – the SANFL can’t have it both ways,” Mr
Henley added. “This is the gambling industry trying to create
loopholes to avoid the wishes of near 90% of the public who want poker
machine numbers reduced ”
Meanwhile the Hotels are wanting ‘gaming tax and machine number certainty for at least 10 years’. “This is an outrageous ambit claim that needs to be rebutted in the strongest possible terms by the parliament. There is no good reason for the hotel industry to be given preferential treatment that is not available to other businesses. We won’t see local cafés, hairdressers, sporting goods shops and other service industries that have been hard hit by pokies given 10 year certainty,” explained Mr Henley
“It is time for all Parliamentarians to respect the wishes of the vast majority of the SA population – not the rich and powerful gambling industry – and vote for the gambling legislation, including the 3,000 reduction, with no strings attached,” concluded Mr Henley.
Further Comment
Mark Henley 8202 5135 (office) 8370 1112 (ah)
Manager Advocacy and Communication 0404 067 011 (mob)
