Inner West Council, Wesley Mission and the NSW Council of Social Service
Inner West Council, in partnership with Wesley Mission and the NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS), will host a Sydney Summit on Poker Machine Harm.
The Summit will be held in July in order to maximise pressure on the NSW Parliament to finally take action on this critical issue.
With the damage caused by pokies spiralling out of control its time for all sections of society to come together to insist on solutions to this growing crisis.
The summit will bring together experts from across civil society to address the deep and widespread damage caused to individuals, families and communities by the scourge of harm caused by poker machines.
The summit will also examine ways to diversify Sydney nightlife and support clubs and pubs to transition to a healthier business model that is not as dependant on poker machine addiction.
Inner West Mayor, Darcy Byrne said, “momentum for real reform of poker machines is growing by the day – churches, social services and local communities are all speaking out to say that poker machine harm in our city must be reversed.
“At this summit we’ll be bringing together civil society organisations from across the board to talk about actual solutions.
“We have more poker machines in our community than any jurisdiction on earth. Losses from poker machines in NSW have grown to more than $9 billion this year – the problem is getting worse.
“The human cost inflicted by poker machines cannot be swept under the carpet any longer. Enough is enough.”
Wesley Mission CEO, Rev Stu Cameron, says “the call for a Sydney Summit reflects a simple reality: momentum for poker machine reform is accelerating across New South Wales.
“The summit will provide a powerful platform for communities, local leaders and decision-makers to unite behind reforms that put people and communities ahead of poker machine profits.
“When one in five NSW residents are impacted by gambling harm, it's little wonder that the cry for pokies reform is growing ever louder. Communities across New South Wales are demanding change and a Sydney Summit would give that growing movement an even greater voice.”
NSW Council of Social Service CEO, Cara Varian said "for many of us, gambling is a high-risk activity, and research shows electronic gaming machines carry the greatest risk of harm. That harm falls hardest on people already facing disadvantage.
“Nowhere is that clearer than in NSW, home to 87,800 poker machines – a number second in the world only to the US state of Nevada.
“It’s time to face the gambling harm that is tearing apart families and communities and entrenching cycles of disadvantage more than anywhere else in the country.
"This Summit brings civil society together to have the serious conversations we need about how we reduce the harm poker machines are causing in communities across the state.
"The time for real reform is now. Governments have spent too long at the edges of this problem - what communities need is action, and we're ready to work with them to deliver it."
The Sydney Summit on Poker Machine Harm will be held Thursday 16 July, 6:30pm at Marrickville Town Hall.
For media enquiries please contact Rachael Durrant, Rachael.Durrant@innerwest.nsw.gov.au