Hodgman must rule out reallocation of pokies from Midcity Hotel sale

• Machines must not be moved to different venues
• Liberals yet to disclose how much pokies lobby donated to campaign
• Tasmanians lost $110 million playing poker machines in pubs and clubs last year
Shadow Treasurer Scott Bacon has called on the Premier to rule out redistributing the 20 poker machines currently at the Hobart Midcity Hotel once it is sold to UTAS.
“Premier Hodgman needs to categorically rule out these poker machines being moved to another venue, particularly to areas where we know pokies are already in huge numbers and do the most damage,” Mr Bacon said.
“The Liberal Party took huge donations from the poker machine lobby during the election and still have not disclosed how much they were given.
“The decision on whether to relocate these poker machines is a test of how much influence the pokies lobby bought from the Liberals during the election campaign.
“Last year alone Tasmanians lost $110 million playing poker machines in pubs and clubs.
“The negative impacts on the community are well known and sadly too many Tasmanians are suffering.”
Scott Bacon MP Shadow Treasurer