[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Sad NW Coast Pokies Case Demonstrates Roll Back Need_K Booth MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

ROLL BACK POKIES BEFORE THEY DESTROY MORE LIVES

As 'Prevalence' of Pokies Cited As Issue In NW Case

Kim Booth MP
Greens Gaming spokesperson

Thursday, 27 August 2009
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today reiterated their call on the Bartlett Labor
government to begin a staged roll back of pokies from pubs and clubs in
the face of yet another tragic story of loss and addiction from the NW
coast.

Greens Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that Labor could no longer
hide from the growing wave of anger in the community over machines being
in almost every pub and club and noted that a lawyer involved in the NW
case cited the prevalence of pokies as a contributing factor.

"Today we learn of yet another tragic case of the trauma inflicted by
pokies on a family's life and business and still the Bartlett government
reaps millions of dollars in revenue from these machines and ignores the
social and economic devastation they are causing," Mr Booth said.

"I launched a Notice of Motion in parliament today, again calling for a
staged roll back of pokies in pubs and clubs, as we have to get them out
of the every day social meeting places where unsuspecting Tasmanians
start to play one day and before they know it end up losing their jobs,
marriages, homes and even lives."

"For a decade the Greens have fought the pokies and we will keep on
fighting for their removal from the heart of the community because in
many cases it is the heart of the community that they are ripping out;
both in a social sense and an economic one."

"Tasmanians have lost over $100 million on pokies in the first six
months of 2009 alone and it beggars belief that in such harsh economic
times that Bartlett Labor still supports them being in virtually every
pub and club."

"The Greens will not stop in our fight to roll the pokie plague back
from pubs and clubs and if Bartlett Labor had a conscience they'd join
us."


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Text of today's Notice of Motion tabled by Kim Booth MP


That this House:


1. Notes the very sad situation which has seen a gambling addict jailed
after pleading guilty for stealing $220, 000 from her family to feed her
pokie habit;

2. Further notes the reported comments from the defence lawyer that
"This fanstasy is being sold everywhere... no-one is safe from becoming
a victim of pathological gambling.  Society has in some ways failed
these people because of the prevalence of these machines"; and

3. Calls on the Bartlett government to wean itself from its revenue
addiction on pokies, and immediately initiate a staggered roll back from
pubs and clubs in the community.




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