Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne
Today’s announcement of a package of poker machine reform from the NSW Government is a welcome recognition that the problem cannot be ignored any longer but does not go anywhere near far enough.
The policy includes important harm minimisation measures that deserve support but does not uphold the key elements of the resolution passed unanimously at the NSW Labor Conference in July.
The Conference resolution proposed a ‘significant reduction’ in the number of poker machines and a review of the hours of operation, neither of which are included in the Government’s announcement today.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said:
“For far too long poker machine reform has sat in the ‘too hard’ basket for politicians from all sides. It’s good that the NSW Government is taking on important harm minimisation measures – that's more than any previous government has done.
“However, this announcement does not include the key elements of the unanimous resolution passed at the NSW Labor Conference just weeks ago.
“Labor members voted for a ‘significant reduction’ in poker machines, but based on current trends, this plan would lead to just a few hundred of NSW’s 87,000 machines being decommissioned each year.
“Under this proposal NSW would remain the world champion of poker machine prevalence for years to come, with only a tiny reduction in the number of machines and no timeline for reviewing and reducing the hours of operation.
“The $9.3 billion in losses from poker machines, an obscene figure, would also continue to increase each year.
“The fact that the poker machine lobby has not mounted a major campaign against these changes tells you everything you need to know about how limited they are.
“Labor Party members, social justice advocates and community organisations will no longer accept a half-hearted approach to addressing poker machine harm. The pressure for real reform will only grow stronger as the next NSW election approaches."
For media enquiries please contact Heath Gilmore, heath.gilmore@innerwest.nsw.gov.au