Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
The Greens welcome the Rockliff Government’s decision to put people first and introduce mandatory pre-commitment cards for poker machines.
Like most, we were shocked by yesterday’s news but only because so rarely does government take on the gambling industry.
The Tasmanian Hospitality Association has predictably gone in to meltdown. The last thing Steve Old and his cronies want is effective harm minimisation technology.
Without pokies addicts, their business model falls over.
Pokies cause profound individual and social harm. They destroy lives and livelihoods.
While the Greens stand by our policy to remove pokies from pubs and clubs, mandatory pre-commitments and caps on expenditure are the next best thing.
These are genuine harm minimisation measures, similar to what was proposed by the Greens during debate on pokies legislation late last year and in our recent submission to the Liquor and Gaming Commission’s consultation and harm minimisation.
They are proven to reduce harm, and massive losses - that’s why the industry is having a massive tantrum.
The THA’s over-reaction is confirmation pokies barons have been trading on addiction and mega-losses for decades in Tasmania.
The shameless greed of the pokies barons is breathtaking. After years of demanding the red carpet treatment and dictating government policy, a government has finally called their bluff.
Good on the Rockliff Liberals for locating their spine on this issue.
We hope they won’t buckle to the THA, Federal Hotels, Kalis Group, Goodstone Group and the many others who have profited from human misery for so long in Tasmania.