MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

— Wellington, Monday 13 May 2013.

Convention Centre’s hidden cost.

Those behind the SkyCity Convention Centre have failed to take the damage to communities and families into their cost-benefit analysis.

The Salvation Army is disappointed little weight has been given to the social impact of increasing the number of pokie machines and gambling tables at SkyCity Casino.

Salvation Army social policy spokesman Major Campbell Roberts agrees Auckland needs an international-scale convention centre to boost tourism and business, but making it conditional on increasing gambling opportunity is incongruous and irresponsible.

“A convention centre is supposed to be a place of learning and community-building but unfortunately this centre will have a legacy of harm to individuals, families and communities,” he says.

The legislative horse trading that has allowed this deal to proceed, without serious thought to the social collateral damage, is very worrying, Major Roberts says. “It would appear to be particularly irresponsible when we know every problem gambler impacts between seven, and 17 other people and the great cost to taxpayers and businesses to clean up the fallout.”

ENDS

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