But Bartlett Shirks Responsibility
The Tasmanian Greens today accused the Premier, David Bartlett, of endorsing as a virtual government policy position that it is acceptable for Tasmanians to continue to lose anything in the vicinity of $19 million on pokies each month, for the life of the Federal Hotels Deed, due to his refusal to take immediate action to stem the negative impact of pokies upon the community.
Greens Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that since January this year Tasmanians have lost a devastating $147, 909, 399 on pokies, money which is now lost to families and local businesses who desperately need it, but the Labor government is happy for this to continue as they get a considerable cut of these losses.
“By refusing to take immediate action to reduce the number or the impact of pokies in the community, David Bartlett is shirking his responsibility, and tacitly endorsing as a form of government policy that it is acceptable for the Tasmanian community to incur anywhere between $16 million to $19 million dollars losses on pokies each month,” Mr Booth said.
“The latest monthly in arrears figures released by the Tasmanian Gaming Commission reveal that once again Tasmanians lost over $19 million dollars, which takes the accumulated total since January this year to an unacceptable and devastating $147, 909, 399.”
“Tasmanian families, and local economies cannot afford for this pattern to continue indefinitely.”
“If Premier Bartlett is genuine about being clever, kind and connected, then he will direct the Treasurer to immediately implement the positive policy changes suggested in the TGC’s Response to the SACES Gaming Social and Economic Impact Study, which identified the need to reverse the placement of pokies in socially and economically vulnerable areas, as well as to investigate the removal of them from pubs and clubs.”
“It is clear that the government is the biggest addict itself, and one which cannot forgo the approximate $50 million it would have raked in as a cut of those losses bled from the community over these eight months, under the terms of the Deed with Federal Hotels.”
Tasmanian Gaming Commission website link: Here
Download: Graphs detailing pokies expenditure losses, January to August 2009 (2 pgs):
boothOct1_Pokies_Losses_Charts_K_Booth_ATTACH.doc
Kim Booth MP Greens Gaming Spokesperson
