Motion to enforce Christchurch's pokies lid

Pokie machines that are irrecoverable due to earthquake damage will not be replaced if a motion is passed by a Christchurch Community Board on Tuesday night and taken up by the City Council.

Paul McMahon, in his first term as a member of the Spreydon-Heathcote Community Board, is bringing a motion on Tuesday night to his Board to ask the Council to enforce its existing sinking-lid policy and stop the replacement of quake-damaged pokies.

"We have a unique opportunity to rebuild our city in a way that is far more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. If the Council enforces the sinking lid and doesn't buckle to pressure to make exceptions, it will mean we will take a giant leap towards a pokie-free city.

"I want to see an inner-city rebuilt that is far more family-friendly , an inner city that is a nice place for people of all ages to live and work in. We don't just have to get the buildings right and the public transport right, we have to get the social environment right too.

"Enforcing the sinking-lid is the sensible thing to do, it is inline with the broad consensus across our city that we should reduce the presence of pokies in our City and it is the right thing to do for Christchurch families," said McMahon.

The Spreydon-Heathcote Community Board debates the motion on Tuesday night at their meeting, starting at 5pm in the Beckenham Service Centre Boardroom.

Substance of the Notice of Motion:

The Spreydon-Heathcote Community Board asks that the Christchurch City Council strictly enforce the sinking lid policy with regard to 'pokies', specifically by:

1. Forbidding the relocation of pokies from premises unable to be opened due to earthquake damage to new premises (for instance by refusing to grant new or replacement Class 4 Gambling Licenses). 2. Forbidding the replacement of pokies where the premises have been earthquake-damaged. 3. Asking the Depart of Internal Affairs for assistance in enforcing 1 and 2.

ENDS

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