Bartlett Government MUST Start Rolling them Back

www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today called on Treasurer Michael Aird to acknowledge yesterday’s release of the Productivity Commission’s Draft Report on Gambling, which clearly shows that poker machines are the most harmful form of gambling, and to reveal when the Bartlett Government will take action to reduce the serious damage that these insidious machines are wreaking on the Tasmanian community.

Greens Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MP said the Productivity Commission’s report makes it clear that poker machines cause the most harm by far of any form of gambling, and are the key driver of the frauds, relationship breakdowns, mental illnesses, bankruptcies and suicides that are the known result of problem gambling.

Mr Booth also pointed out that the Productivity Commission report also reveals that, “[m]any of these problems ripple throughout the community to family members, friends and work colleagues, but they also tie up police, courts and health resources. For every single problem gambler, the Commission found 5 to 10 others were affected”.

“The Treasurer must acknowledge the damage that his addiction to poker machine revenue is causing the people of Tasmania, and reveal just what he is going to do now that the Productivity Commission has shown clearly that these machines are responsible for serious damage to our community,” said Mr Booth.

“These machines are driving gambling-related fraud, mental illness, relationship breakdown, bankruptcy and suicide. Just how much more evidence does the Treasurer and his so called ‘data-driven’ Premier need before they will finally act and start removing them from our suburbs?”

“The Greens have been calling for these machines to be rolled back from our pubs and clubs for years, and now the Productivity Commission has justified our long-held concerns. The Treasurer must acknowledge the serious damage that these machines cause in Tasmania, and start the process of removing them from our suburban pubs and clubs where they claim the bulk of their victims,” said Mr Booth.

Reference: “Gambling – Draft Report,” Productivity Commission, released 21 October 2009,
http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/gambling-2009/draft
Kim Booth MP Greens Gaming Spokesperson