Trial plain-packaging on pokies. Wilkie’s statement

TRIAL PLAIN PACKAGING ON POKIES

Kim Booth MP
Greens Gaming spokesperson
Sunday 22 April 2012

The Tasmanian Greens today called for the Treasurer to urgently trial ‘plain packaging’ on pokies machines.

Greens Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MP said this was a possible straightforward first step to a solution to the pokies problem which was being overlooked in the ongoing debate over how to tackle pokies and problem gambling.

“Plain packaging works for anti-smoking so it should be investigated to see if it would be equally effective against pokies,” said Mr Booth.

“I would expect the Tasmanian Liberal Party to support such as trial because Victoria’s Liberal Government is moving to do exactly this.”

“In the ongoing debate about pokies and how to reduce problem gambling, we must not let ourselves be sidetracked. The ultimate aim is to help people to gamble less, especially problem gamblers, who can end up destroying their lives and those of their loved ones.”

“An obvious possible solution which hasn’t been recently reported would be to test whether doing away with the lights and music of pokies would help deter people from gambling away their money.”

“The Greens believe the idea has merit, not least because we know it works for cigarettes and in discouraging people from smoking.”

“While we continue to wait for federal mandatory pre-commitment reforms all stops need to be pulled out to break the addiction fed by the false lure and glitz of pokies’ bells, whistles, dollar signs, gold mines and treasure-chests.”

“The Greens will be pursuing plain packaging for pokies to strengthen the state’s harm minimisation toolkit currently in place, while we continue to work towards the implementation of a $1 Bet limit and the eventual roll back of pokies out of the community,” Mr Booth said.

• Andrew Wilkie: A statement on poker machine reform

I wish to correct a media report today that I’ve extended my deadline for the Federal Government to address my concerns with the National Gambling Reform Bill 2012.

I gave the Families Minister, Jenny Macklin, a deadline of Friday April 20 to respond to my concern the Bill did not deliver on the Prime Minister’s promise that `we are ready to flick the switch to a best-practice mandatory pre-commitment system’ on Australia’s poker machines. I received a letter from Minister Macklin late Friday April 20 so that deadline was met.

I am now considering Minister Macklin’s response and taking advice in light of the uncertainty and changing circumstances in the Parliament. In Canberra today I’ve met with representatives from both the Government and the Opposition.