Minto for Mayor

24 September 2013

Media Release:

Government consultation protects pokie industry rather than families

Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain’s proposals for reform of the non-casino gambling will be a help to the gambling industry rather than families and communities who pay a heavy price for problem gambling.

Tinkering with the minimum amounts to be returned to the communities it was taken from is no answer and allowing longer licences to be issued for “compliant Societies” will only encourage these parasitic companies rather than provide relief to long suffering communities.

Minto for Mayor would give communities the right to decide if they want pokie machines and if the community says no then the machines would go.

All over Auckland low-income communities want to get rid of these deliberately-addictive machines. Communities should have the right of veto over them rather than the government allowing these machines to parasitize on low-income areas to provide sports and horse racing events for wealthier areas.

ENDS

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