The Tasmanian Greens today increased pressure on Labor to support a pokies $1 per spin bet limit when debate starts on the Greens’ 1$ bet limit bill, saying the Premier’s argument about ‘sovereign risk’ was a double standard.
In Parliament today, Greens Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MP pointed out that when pokies monopoly holder, the Federal Group walked away from the Abt Railway lease this year, the company was allowed off the hook but when a pokies $1 bet limit was proposed the Premier cried ‘sovereign risk’.
“Premier Giddings refused to address the question, instead leaving junior Minister Scott Bacon to totally fail to address the question and fry under the heat in Parliament,” Mr Booth said.
“By squibbing the question, Premier Giddings has once again shown that Labor’s automatic default position is to protect the interests of their corporate donor, rather than act in the interests of the Tasmanian community.”
“In both cases of the pokies lease and the Abt Railway lease the sovereign risk excuse, has been rolled out to protect the interests of Federal Hotels, at the expense of that which is in the best interest of the community.”
“For the Premier to selectively use sovereign risk as an excuse to do nothing about poker machine harm minimisation is rank hypocrisy and shames Tasmania.”
“The harm done to the community, the local economy and the damage done to victims of pokie addiction and their families is beyond doubt.”
“I will soon be bringing on for debate and vote the Greens’ Gaming Control Amendment Bill, which will legislate to limit bets to one dollar per spin.”
“The Greens are calling on the Liberal and Labor parties to support this proven harm minimisation strategy, which was recommended by the productivity commission and supported by agencies and individuals giving evidence to the parliamentary committee set specifically to look at the effect of a $1 bet limit.”
“Imposing a $1 bet limit on pokies is the least we can do in the community’s interest, and both Labor and Liberal parties need to do some soul-searching regarding who it is they truly represent.”
Kim Booth MP Greens Gaming Spokesperson
