[Greens-Media] Supermarkets no place for Lotto

[John Kaye]

Supermarkets no place for Lotto



Media release: 19 November 2014



NSW Lotteries owner Tatts Group are investigating opening up Lotto sales to supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths when the moratorium ends early next year. The changes will decimate many small business operators across the state and will create yet more opportunities for problem gamblers, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.



Dr Kaye said: "Selling lottery products through supermarkets can create a problem gambling nightmare.



"It's bad public policy to expose addicted gamblers in checkout lines to the choice between lottery tickets purchasing food for their families.



"Checkout lines create captive audiences and of course Tatts is dead keen to have their products in easy grasp of frustrated shoppers. The problem is some of them will also be problem gamblers who struggle to control their habit.



"Five years sounded like a long time when former Treasurer Eric Roozendaal cut the deal to create a moratorium.



"The awful truth of what is going to happen to newsagents is as bad now as it was in 2009 when the legislation went through.



"It's clear from the September 2009 parliamentary debate that Labor never intended to provide any on-going protection for newsagents after the expiry of the five-year moratorium period.



"This is yet another Eric Roozendaal get-rich-quick scheme, where he got to spend the money as Treasurer, while others were left to pick up the pieces when the full consequences of his actions became clear.



"Labor's legacy will be a NSW where newsagents and the services they provide to communities will become a distant memory.



"Eric Roozendaal has left politics but many of his colleagues from 2009 remain in key positions in the state Labor party. It will be interesting to see if they own up to what they did and the terrible consequences it will have on newsagents and the community," Dr Kaye said.



For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455





John Kaye

Greens NSW MP  Description: cid:image001.png at 01CE21AF.A628ACC0



P: (02) 9230 2668 | F: facebook.com/john.kaye.mlc<http://www.facebook.com/john.kaye.mlc> | T: @johnkgreens | W: www.johnkaye.org.au<http://www.johnkaye.org.au/>

Mail: Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000



John Kaye's office is proudly 100% unionised and union-active.



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