[Greens-Media] Media Release: The Greens pledge to tackle problem gambling in the Western suburbs

[Media]

Media Release: for immediate use
Wednesday August 2, 2006
Contact: Lisa Asbury on (mob) 0419 150 922

The Greens pledge to tackle problem gambling in the Western suburbs

"Pokies in the Western suburbs are among the most aggressive, voracious 
machines in the world," said Lisa Asbury, Greens candidate for Keilor 
District. "And there are too many of them. Brimbank alone has more than 
seven machines per thousand adult residents."

"The social costs of gambling are enormous," said Lisa Asbury. "Tens of 
thousands of Victorians have a gambling problem and for each of these, 
at least five more people are adversely affected."

Brimbank, which forms part of Keilor district, hosts the fourth highest 
amount of gaming machines in metropolitan Melbourne, with 953 machines 
in 15 venues. In the 2004-05 financial year Brimbank ranked second 
behind Monash with more than $110 million spent in gaming venues – more 
than $96 million has already been spent this year.

"When in state parliament after the November 25 election, the Greens 
will work to cut the number of pokies in Victoria by two thirds," said 
Lisa Asbury. "We'll roll back the number of electronic gaming machines 
to 10,000 after 2012, when current contracts expire. We will also remove 
all poker machines from ‘convenience gambling’ locations and locate them 
only in ‘destination gambling’ precincts."

"Poverty, homelessness, depression, suicide, relationship breakdown, 
fraud and violence are all consequences of problem gambling," said Lisa 
Asbury. "We must immediately tackle the gambling problem because it 
won't go away."

"The Greens have now taken the lead and set the goal. We will work to 
not only reduce pokie numbers but also take other measures, like 
reducing the maximum credit balance, to reduce the harm," said Lisa Asbury.

For more information, please contact:
Lisa Asbury on (mob) 0419 150 922
or
Dave Lane on (mob) 0419 156 213

Background:
The Greens gambling policy can be found at
http://www.vic.greens.org.au/about-the-greens/policy/GamblingPledge

Other Greens Victorian Gambling Reform pledges include:

- Implementation of Statewide Local Government Area (LGA) based caps, 
whereby no LGA can have more than 120% of the state average density of 
poker machines,

- Maintenance of per-venue caps on machines in convenience gambling 
locations (until those venues are phased out),

- Removal of ATMs from all gambling venues, except in country towns with 
no other accessible ATM and ensure EFTPOS facilities at venues do not 
permit cash withdrawals,

- Removal of banknote acceptors from machines, to return them to 
coin-only operation,

- Capping winnings payable by machines at $100, and winnings payable by 
a cashier at $250,

- Additional winnings are to be payable only by cheque (as they are in 
Qld and NT),

- Reduction of the maximum credit balance (i.e., how much can be 
inserted into a machine) from $9,949 to $200,

- Banning of free food and drink in gambling venues,

- Appointment of a genuinely independent statutory gambling regulator 
charged with minimizing the social and economic costs of gambling, and 
protecting consumer and the public interest,

- Publishing the minutes of the Responsible Gambling Ministerial 
Advisory Council on the website, with a link to the most recent minutes 
on the home page.


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