A vote for action on pokies

Nick McKim MP Greens Leader Sunday, 22 March 2009
GREENS Leader Nick McKim MP today threw his support behind an election promise made by the Party’s Windermere candidate, Peter Whish-Wilson, ( http://www.peterwhishwilson.com/ ) to legislate to over-turn the exclusive pokies deal with Federal Hotels, and to introduce an immediate timetable to roll-back pokies from pubs and clubs.

“A vote for Peter Whish-Wilson in Windermere is a vote for decisive action against pokie machines in our community and a vote for someone who will stand up for families and local businesses,” Mr McKim said.

“The people of Windermere now have a passionate anti-pokie advocate in Peter Whish-Wilson.”

“I congratulate Mr Whish-Wilson for seizing the initiative and providing such a strong contrast to the Bartlett Labor government which is so compromised by its addiction to pokie revenue that it refuses to deal with the fact that the main source of Tasmania’s problem gambling comes from pokies.”

“The Greens have been saying for years that the monopoly pokies deal with Federal Hotels was bad news, and we also obtained legal advice that shows the State can easily overturn the Deed of Agreement but Labor has refused to act in the community’s best interests.”

“This was again demonstrated by Michael Aird’s minimalistic announcement last week which carefully avoided the Tasmanian Gaming Commission’s recommendation that the pokie numbers in pubs and clubs be reduced as well as the number of pokies venues.”

“We all know that where there is a political will there is a way, and unlike Labor, Peter Whish-Wilson has shown today his clear intention to take decisive action and remove pokies out of our community,” Mr McKim said.