By Tess Lawrence
Chief advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Tim Costello AO, has issued an Open Letter to the Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, and all members of the State Parliament, urging them to resist the efforts of the gambling lobby to undermine the promised poker machine mandatory pre-commitment card reforms.
Mr Costello released the Open Letter in Hobart this morning on behalf of its twelve co-signatories.
“Tasmania’s work implementing a mandatory pokies pre-commitment card is nation leading and is recognised as an evidence-based genuine harm minimisation measure which will save lives,” Mr Costello said.
“It is deeply concerning that those working in the sector along with community leaders, have felt it necessary to write as a matter of urgency to Premier Rockliff, and all State MPs, urging them to prioritise the public interest over the vested interests of the gambling lobby.”
“It is clear to us the secretly commissioned Deloitte report is an example of the pokies industry’s desperate rear-guard action to defy these positive reforms and to protect their own profits.”
“Ironically, the fact the pokies industry is objecting so loudly about the mandatory card is in itself proof the reforms will effectively protect consumers.”
Rev. Costello said we can predict that the pokies industry will resort to misleading and debunked myths in their attempt to derail these reforms.
“We know, for example, the pokies industry will push Facial Recognition Technology despite the fact the Tasmanian Gaming commission has already considered and rejected that as ineffective.”
“We know there will be faux hand-wringing over the prediction that pokies reform will see a rise in internet gambling despite that not being the actual experience of those countries which have already introduced a pre-commitment card system.”
“It is the responsibility of all political leaders to critique the assertions put forward by the vested interests which reap millions annually from pokies misery, against the evidence and expertise provided by those working in this field.”
Mr Costello invited any Tasmanian MP to contact him to discuss in person the current mandatory pokies pre-commitment card process underway, and what will be at risk should the reforms be derailed.
“I extend an invitation to each and every Tasmanian MP to discuss in person the deep interest and high hopes with which national stakeholders are watching Tasmania’s leadership in this area of urgent gambling policy reform,” Mr Costello said.
“I reiterate my long-standing invitation to discuss this matter with Labor Leader Dean Winter MP, an extend that to include current Shadow Finance spokesperson Luke Edmunds MLC, or any other Labor, Liberal or cross-bench MP.”
“Surely the Tasmanian community has a fair expectation that their elected representatives would actively seek to inform their position based upon evidence and lived experience, rather than be cowed by the bullying tactics of vested private interests.”
“On behalf of the local and national signatories to our Open Letter, I urge Premier Jeremy Rockliff to demonstrate the leadership and resolve necessary to hold the line on these significant reforms on behalf of all Tasmanians,” Mr Costello said.
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Tess Lawrence is Contributing editor-at-large for Independent Australia and her most recent article is The night Porter and allegation of rape.
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Please note:
Dear Readers, just to clarify hat I didn’t write the Press Release but endorsed it for publication and salute the
extraordinary hard working, courageous advocacy of the Alliance for Gambling Reform.
And well done Tess.
I note that Andrew Wilkie, who has been campaigning for many years, has said that the scheme in Tasmania would help a small minority of players but did not go nearly far enough. “If we’re going to have a mandatory pre-commitment system, then it must apply to all players on all machines and it must be a daily limit.”
I haven’t seen enough on this Tasmanian scheme to be able to comment conclusively but I do know a bloke I used to work with who entered into a pre-commitment arrangement at the local Leagues Club only to be later found gambling at the local RSL.
We are talking about the Libs (Corruption “R” Us) here so the donations from the Farrell family are just way too good to ignore.
Chronic gambling is a health issue. It is known as a ‘fundamental (or base) addiction’, a risk taking in the hope of ‘curing’ a perceived ‘inadequate’ existence – no difference to chronic drug taking, but more fundamental. It can wreck the lives of those so addicted, and also the families and associates of those addicted.
It has increasingly been disguised as a ‘sport’ by successive govts and those profiting from it. Much like the use of alcoholic drinks have been disguised as an ‘elite’ or ‘worker-day’ essential social lubricant, when the harms from chronic use are extreme.
Not only financial, but fundamentally as serious health matters.
As usual, MPs persist with categorizing it as a financial matter for free market profit that it can tax. Disgraceful.