[Greens-Media] Clubcare support is damage control

[Manderson, Roland]

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ACT GREENS MLA DEB FOSKEY MEDIA RELEASE
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5 Feb 08

Clubcare support is damage control

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has welcomed ACT clubs' renewed support for
Lifeline's problem gambling service Clubcare, announced today, but
argued for a broader response to the harm caused by gambling from the
ACT Government and the industry.

"Clubcare is important as it offers support for people with gambling
problems when they need it" Dr Foskey said today. 

"The drop in support for the program over the past few years reflected
badly on the gaming industry in Canberra.  I was pleased to see a few
more of Canberra's clubs came back on board this three year extension to
the Clubcare program."

"Of course, in the context of recent public debate about the negative
impact of poker machines around Australia, it makes good business sense
to do a bit of damage control.  I suspect that is what this initiative
is all about."

"The net gaming machine revenue of clubs in the ACT is $110m a year,
over $40m of which - according to Productivity Commission estimates -
comes from people with gambling problems."

"And so, while the Clubcare investment of one million dollars over three
years sounds significant, it is less than one percent of the income from
problem gambling, and it only funds the bare bones of a gambling
counselling service in the ACT."

"Sadly, Lifeline will have to look elsewhere for funds for its gambling
help phone service - which is, after all, how most people first make
contact with Clubcare services."

"Of course, the other big winners from gaming in the ACT are the Labor
Party (as the Electoral Commission reporting shows) and the ACT
Government."

"The Greens will be looking to the Stanhope Labor Government to come up
with more funds for the phone counselling services and educational
programs in this year's budget" Dr Foskey said.



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Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
==== www.act.greens.org.au ===== 
  
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