GAMING CHANGES SHOULD HAVE GONE FURTHER

But Labor Blocked Critical Amendments

www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today described the Gaming Control Amendment Bill 2009 as a wasted opportunity which could have done much more to address problem gambling, especially the negative impacts of poker machines, and accused the Bartlett government of cynically misleading the Tasmanian community that they had taken harm minimisation seriously.

Greens Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MP attempted to amend the Bill to include a pokies $1 bet limit, and ensure that casinos are also required to contribute to the Community support levy as recommended by the Tasmanian Gaming Commission’s report to the Treasurer in response to the Social and Economic Impact Study.

“The Labor government admitted that their measures contained in this Bill would only reduce pokie losses by a total of $10 million which means those long suffering families of pokie addicts will see virtually no change to their losses,” Mr Booth said.

“It is estimated that the 1% of pokie addicts lose around $100 million, or 40% of the total expected losses of $240 million per year which means that those families will still lose a whacking $96 million.”

“Make no mistake, this is just another Bartlett con job to delude the community that they are acting on a serious problem, whilst the truth is this will have little effect on either Federal Hotels’ or the government’s ill-gotten income stream.”

“If Labor were serious about addressing the impact of pokies they would have supported the amendment that both the Greens and the Liberals proposed to establish a $1 bet limit, instead of voting that down.”

“If Labor is serious about implementing the options identified by the Tasmanian Gaming Commission, they would have supported the Greens’ amendment requiring that casino operators also contribute to the Community Support levy as other gaming operators are required to do.”

“This amendment Bill should have been a vehicle for considerable reform, but sadly that opportunity was wasted by Labor and their rejection of constructive amendments by bot Opposition parties.”
Kim Booth MP Greens Gaming spokesperson