CPA - The Guardian

The Tasmanian Greens say that the new betting limit reductions announced by Tasmanian Treasurer, Michael Aird, are a belated recognition that pokies do inflict serious negative impacts upon the community, but the government is still focussing on addressing the symptoms rather than tackle the cause.

Greens leader, MP Nick McKim, said that there needs to be a clear structured withdrawal of pokies from the community if the problem is to be tackled in a meaningful manner, especially in light of the independent study by the South Australian Centre for Economic Studies last year which identified that the majority of the 133 percent increase in gaming expenditure over the last 25 years had derived from pokies in pubs and clubs.

Mr McKim also said that it appears that the monthly in arrears publication of pokies losses by the Tasmanian Gaming Commission (TGC) had finally shamed the Bartlett government into taking some action, as over the last five months alone these figures have revealed that Tasmanians have lost over a staggering $92 million on pokies.

“Treasurer Aird’s changes to the betting limits is a belated recognition by Labor that pokies are causing a significant and unacceptable degree of harm on individuals and the broader community,” Mr McKim said.

“However by just prioritising betting limit reductions Labor is attempting to deal with the symptoms of problem gambling rather than tackle one of the key causes, which is pokies in the community.

“Serious action on problem gambling must include a timeframe for the removal of pokies from pubs and clubs, out of the community.

“It is very telling that Treasurer Aird is not moving to address a key point in the TGC report which stated that government should look at addressing the fact that pokies are stuck in areas of social disadvantage.”

The TGC report states, “the TGC believes the government should undertake further analysis of options to arrest and reverse the placement of EGMs in socially and economically vulnerable communities.”

“The government don’t seem to be doing anything about this and the Treasurer must admit to the cynical placement of pokies and move to address this as a key priority,” said Mr McKim.

Next article – Phyllis Johnson

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