KIM BOOTH, Greens’ gaming spokesman: $19, 189, 927 Lost in July Alone
The Tasmanian Greens today said that over the first seven months of this year had seen Tasmanians lose $128, 890, 544 on pokie machines, as revealed by the latest monthly in arrears release of loses published by the Tasmanian Gaming Commission, and demanded that the government immediately plans for a clear structured withdrawal of pokies from the community.

Greens Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that the latest figures reveal that in July alone Tasmanians lost $19 189 927, and described the loss of over $120 million over a seven month period as a “whopping and disturbing” amount of money that has in effect been stolen from Tasmanian families, and local economies.

“Over $128 million has been lost by Tasmanians on pokie machines in just seven short months, and this is an indictment on the Labor government who has refused to take meaningful action to protect our community from these machine locusts,” Mr Booth said.

“$128 million plus a whopping and disturbing amount in anyone’s calculations, let alone at a time of economic downturn when we all know that people are struggling to find adequate housing and meet the increasing cost of living with energy, water and sewerage, and MAIB costs going up.”

“In July alone pokies stole $19, 189, 927 from families struggling to put food on the table and heat in homes, and it was also lost to local businesses struggling to keep their employees and stay afloat.”

“This is an increase of $2, 191, 563 up from the amount lost in June this year, and is also an increase in the amount lost in July last year, so for Premier Bartlett and Michael Aird to attempt to say that this is not an alarming trend just goes to show that they have stuck their heads in the sand.”

“Labor knows that pokies are sucking hard-earned money out of people’s pockets, but they cannot get away with thinking that the minimal measures announced by Treasurer Aird last month are anything but a belated admission that pokies are causing significant and unacceptable harm to individuals and the wider community.”

“There must be a clear structured withdrawal of pokies from the community if this serious problem is ever going to be tackled head-on, and we need a timeframe for the removal of pokies from pubs and clubs out of the community to be implemented immediately.”

“It is economic and social madness to allow these 3652 one armed bandits to remain in our community to fleece people,” Mr Booth said.

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Tasmanian Gaming Commission website link: http://www.treasury.tas.gov.au/domino/dtf/dtf.nsf/alls-v/CD36BFC11D136484CA2575E10006E703