Gaming Venues and TAB policy out for comment
Gaming Venues and TAB policy out for comment
People can say whether they agree with a Christchurch City Council proposal that any premises with a Sale of Liquor Licence and designated area can become a gaming machine venue by making submissions to the Gaming Venues and TAB policy - out for public comment until 28 July.
The City Council received this proposal at its meeting of 25 May in a Summary of Proposal regarding changes to the Gaming Venues and TAB Policy, that it resolved could be released for public consultation from 1 June to 28 July, 2006.
A final decision will not be made by the Council on changing the policy until all submissions received through consultation are heard later this year.
The Statement of Proposal for
the Gaming Venues and TAB Policy is available for public
viewing from:
• the Council Civic Offices,
• City
Council libraries, and
• service centres with tear-off
freepost return feedback forms attached for public input,
and
• on-line at www.ccc.govt.nz through the Have Your
Say site until 28 July, where people can make submissions
electronically.
The main aim of the proposed changes is to relax the Council policy to let market demand and the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) national regulations on harm minimisation and prevention, manage the industry. Council would, however, continue to regulate location by restricting gaming machines to premises licenced under the Sale of Liquor Act.
The Council was told at a seminar in April that new DIA regulations - introduced since the Council adopted its 2004 policy - meant much of the Council policy is now no longer necessary. The DIA measures have helped change how the industry operates and the existing council policy has created difficulties for the industry in the light of these changes.
Councillors will consider
several options:
a. status quo – retain the current
council policy framework, without taking into account the
new regulations
b. to have the Council policy set an
upper limit on the number of machines, and venues with
machines, as well as restrictions by the DIA, or
c. to
permit only premises with a Sale of Liquor Licence and
designated areas for machines to be venues for gambling
machines. Such premises are controlled for environmental
effects under the provisions of District Plans, and hours of
operation under the Sale of Liquor Act 1989.
Option C is the Council’s preferred option.
ENDS