The Mercury: Charity urges more aid from pokie cash
Read the report: Here
What the Greens reckon:
Peg Putt MHA
GREENS OPPOSITION LEADERWednesday, 8 JUNE 2005
LENNON MUST ACT ON PROBLEM GAMBLING REPORT
The Tasmanian Greens today urged the Lennon Government to act on Anglicare’s recommendations on problem gambling and take on board that the overwhelming request of problem gamblers and their families was for poker machines to be banned or at least for there to be a major reduction in the number of machines outside casinos.
Greens Opposition Leader Peg Putt MHA who provided for a cap on poker machines and the commencement of a staged withdrawal of pokies from pubs and clubs in the three Alternative Budgets produced by the Greens, warned that the test of the Premier’s claimed respect for Anglicare would be in his government taking up their recommendations – including a social and economic impact study for all new gaming opportunities, such as Betfair.
“The estimate of up to 33,000 Tasmanians being affected by problem gambling, including 2,000 children, is shocking and backs up the concerns we have been expressing ever since the pokies roll out into pubs and clubs began to show adverse impacts in 1998,” Ms Putt, said.
“It is time for Paul Lennon to acknowledge that there is a very dark side to his gaming bonanza, and that the Greens are right in demanding a progressive withdrawal of pokies from pubs and clubs.”
“A social and economic impact study into the likely impacts of Betfair before such a licence is granted must now become a requirement of the Premier as Anglicare recommends that such as study occur before any new gaming opportunities are agreed.”
“The test of the Lennon government on their respect for Anglicare will be whether they take up the recommendations, and we will ensure that the Premier will not get away with professing respect for Anglicare today but ignoring their recommendations tomorrow.”
“The tenor of government Ministers in debate on this important report after Question Time was of self-justification for the way things are now, and that raises real concerns that there is no intention to take up recommendations which demand any significant changes,” Ms Putt said.
The key recommendations of ‘House of Cards – Problem gambling and low income earners in Tasmania’ are:
• the establishment of a gambling consumers’ Advocate to enhance and encourage consumer protection;
• the introduction of social and economic impact assessments for all new or extended gambling opportunities, technology, designs and licences;
• an increased allocation of gambling-derived government revenue directly for the prevention of gambling problems and alleviation of the impacts of gambling problems; and
• improved consumer protection, including the banning of advertisements outside of gambling venues.
GreG James
June 8, 2005 at 08:09
No doubt this will lead to the ALP protecting the poor against the cynical, subliminal and parasitical exploitation of them by the Capital classes.
The poor needing a champion can look towards the ruling hierarchy of the Alp as honest brokers and constantly vigilant against this exploitation.
The recent history of protection and care by the State Labor Government most especially regarding gaming is a response of the membership and the loyal party members who in a committement of values and concern place their own electoral needs below those of the poor.
Money would have no part here in the ALP’s decision. The workers and the poor are always to be protected by their party.
NOT.