[Greens-Media] Pubs and clubs revenue drop: govt should resist more concessions

[Alison Orme]

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon Media Release 30 April 2008

Pubs and clubs revenue drop: govt should resist more concessions 

Greens NSW MP Lee Rhiannon has warned Premier Morris Iemma off granting clubs and pubs any further concessions aimed at growing their profits in the face of declining revenue from poker machines.

"Premier Iemma should resist caving in to this PR war from clubs and pubs designed to roll back regulation such as the 75% indoor smoking ban," Ms Rhiannon said. 

"Clubs and pubs are crying poor but their gambling profits, gleaned from the glut of poker machines gifted by the Labor government, are still substantial.

"NSW Labor has shown itself vulnerable to PR campaigns from the hotel and clubs industry who have donated over $3.5 million to the major parties in the last four years.

"For too long clubs and pubs in NSW profited from people's gambling and smoking addictions.

"NSW has the weakest regulation of pubs and clubs in Australia. If anything, Premier Iemma should be moving to ban indoor smoking completely.

"The Iemma government should look for ways to further restrict clubs and pubs' dependence on other people's unhealthy addictions.

"The government needs to invest energy into finding new ways to reduce the dependency of clubs and pubs on gambling.

"In recent years hotels and clubs have won more pokies, extended opening hours, exemptions to shut down periods for gambling and this half hearted smoking ban.

"The hotels industry donated $1.7 million to the government and over $1 million to the coalition between 2003-2007. Of this $2.7 million, $1.8 million came directly from the hotels lobby group, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA).

"Clubs donated $382,850 to the government and $461,864 to the coalition between 2003-2007. Of this $844,714, $512,692 came from the clubs lobby group, Clubs NSW," Ms Rhiannon said. 

For more information: Greens MP Lee Rhiannon 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
Visit the Greens donations project at www.democracy4sale.org 


Alison Orme
Adviser, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon (p/t Wed-Fri)
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Mobile: 0432 332 104
Email alison.orme at parliament.nsw.gov.au 
Web www.leerhiannon.org.au