Adam Jones Advocacy, a privately-funded network concerned about gambling, releases preliminary findings regarding the New Zealand International Convention Centre (ICC)

"There's nothing 'free' about the ICC" said co-founder Adam Jones. "The country pays in many ways."

"In 2010, the Australian Productivity Commission (APC) estimated 40% of pokies losses are attributable to problem, or addicted, gamblers -- but typically, John Key did nothing to address the issue here. Instead, for some bizarre reason, Mr Key's pro-gambling Government has remained obsessed with protecting the Gambling Trusts extracting hundreds of millions of dollars annually from local pub pokies addicts, for example."

"Furthermore he, or more specifically his Government, squashed the intent of 2013's Gambling Harm Reduction Bill and allegedly attempted to silence another voice for responsible gambling policy in 2014 via the removal of public funding. The lack of proactive, responsible gambling policy under his watch is appalling."

"To put the APC findings into perspective locally, vulnerable or witless New Zealanders threw away the astronomical sum of $5bn while plugged into pub pokies over the past six years, so perhaps some of us might like to start thinking of them as the 'hideous, insidious addiction machines' -- or 'dopamine delivery devices' -- they actually are. While you're at it, ask yourself the question: 'Why do New Zealanders lose over $800m per annum chasing $500 maximum prizes and $1,000 maximum jackpots if the pub product isn't inherently addictive?' Last year's figure was $818m, which works out at an average of $93,379 cash lost in New Zealand pubs per hour, 24 hours a day, 365 days per annum."

"What the overall $5bn-of-cash-losses-since-2010 number means in terms of using APC's study as a benchmark, is that roughly $2bn (40% of $5bn) was lost by problem, or addicted, Kiwi pub gamblers during this time."

"Instead of supporting responsible gambling policy reform, the Government blithely collected about $400m of this money removed from the pockets of these addicted pub pokies gamblers, via the collection of a 20% 'gaming machine duty' imposed on losses."

"Coincidentally, this figure exactly matches the proposed cost of the ICC. Thus we say 'addicts paid to get it made' and there wasn't any need for John Key's grubby SkyCity gambling-expansion deal."

"We're also gravely concerned by the fact Mr Key and his cabal quietly subverted the democratic SkyCity review process by extending their Auckland casino licence from 2021 until 2048 as part of the ICC deal, without proper public consultation and despite a wafer-thin parliamentary majority. Aucklanders deserved an opportunity to examine the SkyCity economic-benefits-versus-social-harm equation in due course, but John Key's 'backroom dealing' prevented them from having their say."

"SkyCity Auckland's EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) was approximately $250m last year, with most of this presumably due to the casino operation. Accordingly, if we briefly indulge a pessimistic assumption the annual profit figure remains static during SkyCity's licence extension period, this means Mr Key's unilateral actions have potentially exposed the community to over $6bn of further losses."

"We suggest his documented, so-called 'trading instinct' to get a deal done, might have got the better of him."

"Please don't get us wrong" said Mr Jones, "SkyCity is a world-class gambling entity, primarily dedicated to the pursuit of company profit -- so we can't blame them for seducing the Prime Minister and his gaggle of political devotees; however as New Zealanders perhaps we warranted better political leadership regarding construction of the ICC."

"Mr Key usually tries combining the demeanour of a democrat with the delivery of a demagogue, but SkyCity really saw him coming here, and unfortunately John Key failed the country."

http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/gambling-2009/report

https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Resource-material-Information-We-Provide-Gambling-Expenditure-Statistics

ENDS

© Scoop Media