Media release
Independent candidate for Northcote, Darren Lewin-Hill, has backed the latest strong stand on pokies by new federal independent Andrew Wilkie, saying that, if elected as a State independent, he would pursue similar measures in the electorate, which faces an ongoing threat from problem gambling.
The Sunday Age has today reported Wilkie's call on the Gillard Labor Government to honour its post-election commitment to effective, nationwide measures to limit the damage from electronic gaming machines - including through the ability of gamblers to set binding pre-commitment levels on their losses.
The call follows a Productivity Commission report stating that there are around 115,000 problem gamblers in Australia, with a further 280,000 at moderate risk, and a cumulative social impact estimated at $4.7 billion a year.
Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has backed strong action on pokies, pointing to an overstatement of costs to the industry by its peak lobby group, and the likelihood that money not spent on gaming machines would have greater benefit when spent elsewhere in the economy - an important additional point to the social impact costs mentioned above.
The Sunday Age report is significant in the context of next Saturday's State election because it shows the benefits of strong action by independents to deliver public interest outcomes, including the potential to limit damage from nearly 27,000 gaming machines in Victoria.
In Darebin, this means nearly 1000 machines across 15 venues that took more than $87 million from local pockets in 2009-2010 - a large slice of which (around 40%) came from problem gamblers.
In a blog post on his campaign website, Northcote Independent, Mr Lewin-Hill welcomed recent action by Preston local, Susan Rennie, and her success at VCAT in stopping 30 pokies that were set to be installed at a pub in Plenty Road on the boundary of the State seat of Northcote.
However, he said it shouldn't take courageous action by individuals to stop the severe impacts of problem gambling.
"It's not about stopping people having a bet; it's about reducing the excessive opportunities for people with a problem to go too far," Mr Lewin-Hill said.
He said that, if elected, he would support broad adoption of differential council rates (200%) charged on pokies venues, such as the scheme adopted by the City of Moreland, now under threat from a potential deal between pokies operators and the Victorian State Government. Mr Lewin-Hill also voiced support for the responsible gambling initiatives of the Victorian Local Governance Association.
"It's time to act on pokies," Mr Lewin-Hill said.
(See pokies policy for further information and links to Victorian Government data on gaming machines. Full election policies are also online.)
Showing posts with label pokies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pokies. Show all posts
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Northcote independent backs local pokies appeal win
Media release
An independent running in the key inner-Melbourne seat of Northcote has welcomed a VCAT win against excessive pokies by a local resident fighting an application for 30 machines at a pub on the edge of the electorate.
"This application slipped through Darebin council under delegation to a council officer and shows that pokies can be approved in inappropriate numbers and locations, despite claimed controls by a Government addicted to their revenue.
"We shouldn't need VCAT action by community-spirited people like Preston resident Susan Rennie to stop these socially devastating machines, but we clearly do and we should be grateful to her," Darren Lewin-Hill said today.
"They're convenient, well located and easy to use, but they're not community services, they're nearly 1000 machines spread across 15 venues in Darebin that took more than $87 million out of local people's pockets in 2009-2010, according to Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation figures," Lewin-Hill said.
Darebin has a higher than average concentration of pokies per 1000 adults in the population (for Victoria), but it could even be lower and still do a lot of damage. It depends on where the machines are located, particularly relative to disadvantaged populations, among whom gambling is a big problem.
"The potential for adverse social and economic impacts, including proximity to public housing, was an important reason this application was knocked back on appeal of council's decision," he said.
However, media reports have suggested that numbers of machines could actually increase - even in capped areas - due to a review considering increasing population.
Mr Lewin-Hill said that wasn't good enough and the government needed to take stronger action on pokies to discourage people from gambling more than they can afford - including through tougher restrictions on machines. He also said that every member of government should be open to scrutiny, including by undertaking to appear at any future upper house gambling inquiries that might be convened.
"Grave concern over the social and economic impacts of pokies is something I share with South Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and the new independent for the Tasmanian seat of Denison, Andrew Wilkie. If I am elected as a State independent for Northcote, I'll make action on pokies a priority in looking after my constituents" he said.
"With the State poll tightening and the chance of a hung parliament, the potential for independents to strongly represent constituents without the constraints of party politics is better than ever. Better representation, deeper consideration of policies, and accountability of government are valuable things that independents can contribute," he said.
Darren Lewin-Hill
0404 526 555
An independent running in the key inner-Melbourne seat of Northcote has welcomed a VCAT win against excessive pokies by a local resident fighting an application for 30 machines at a pub on the edge of the electorate.
"This application slipped through Darebin council under delegation to a council officer and shows that pokies can be approved in inappropriate numbers and locations, despite claimed controls by a Government addicted to their revenue.
"We shouldn't need VCAT action by community-spirited people like Preston resident Susan Rennie to stop these socially devastating machines, but we clearly do and we should be grateful to her," Darren Lewin-Hill said today.
"They're convenient, well located and easy to use, but they're not community services, they're nearly 1000 machines spread across 15 venues in Darebin that took more than $87 million out of local people's pockets in 2009-2010, according to Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation figures," Lewin-Hill said.
Darebin has a higher than average concentration of pokies per 1000 adults in the population (for Victoria), but it could even be lower and still do a lot of damage. It depends on where the machines are located, particularly relative to disadvantaged populations, among whom gambling is a big problem.
"The potential for adverse social and economic impacts, including proximity to public housing, was an important reason this application was knocked back on appeal of council's decision," he said.
However, media reports have suggested that numbers of machines could actually increase - even in capped areas - due to a review considering increasing population.
Mr Lewin-Hill said that wasn't good enough and the government needed to take stronger action on pokies to discourage people from gambling more than they can afford - including through tougher restrictions on machines. He also said that every member of government should be open to scrutiny, including by undertaking to appear at any future upper house gambling inquiries that might be convened.
"Grave concern over the social and economic impacts of pokies is something I share with South Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and the new independent for the Tasmanian seat of Denison, Andrew Wilkie. If I am elected as a State independent for Northcote, I'll make action on pokies a priority in looking after my constituents" he said.
"With the State poll tightening and the chance of a hung parliament, the potential for independents to strongly represent constituents without the constraints of party politics is better than ever. Better representation, deeper consideration of policies, and accountability of government are valuable things that independents can contribute," he said.
Darren Lewin-Hill
0404 526 555
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