The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Premier and Treasurer, Lara Giddings, to revisit the Federal Government’s offer to trial pre-commitment gambling losses in Tasmania, in light of recent Treasury figures showing Tasmanians lost over $53 million in just three months this year.
Greens Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that following Ms Giddings’ confirmation that she had not consulted with welfare agencies who work with those affected by problem gambling when she made the decision, that she now needs to do so and review her original rejection of the trial offer.
“Ms Giddings confirmed that she only consulted the gaming industry about Tasmania being a trial for the Federal government’s gaming harm minimisation pre-commitments proposals, and had not consulted with the welfare organisations who deal virtually on a daily basis with those affected by problem gaming,” Mr Booth said.
“The Greens are calling for Ms Giddings to consult with the agencies who deal with the impacts of problem gambling on a daily basis, and revisit her initial rejection.”
“It would appear that industry reps, who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, are chopping and changing their tune when it comes to harm minimisation proposals.”
“Recently the Parliamentary Committee into the Greens’ proposed $1 Bet Limit was told by Mr Steve Old of the Tasmanian hospitality Association that, ‘The industry is more than happy to look at harm minimisation and issues on the Federal agenda at the moment and look at pre-commitment and how we might work down that path with the Julia Gillard-led Government’.” [1]
“The Federal offer for Tasmania to trial these national pre-commitment proposals was a prime opportunity for the industry to act on these words, but instead they spun the Treasurer a different line.”
“These machines are specifically designed to ensnare and capture vulnerable Tasmanians who are specifically marketed to by deliberately crafted sounds and colours under the false pre-tense of becoming rich, and this is what the Commonwealth’s proposed trial could have started to address.”
“The Greens believe that this opportunity should not be missed, and we call on Ms Giddings to stand up to the vested interests in maintaining the pokies status quo and revisit this offer by the Federal government,” Mr Booth said.
Reference, Transcript, Mr Steve Old, Parliamentary Committee into $1 Bet Limit, 4 October 2010; http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/ctee/House/Transcripts/Hobart%204%20October%202010%20-%20afternoon%20session.pdf
Kim Booth MP Greens Gaming spokesperson
