Mar 13, 2018  But some of those running poker machine reform campaigns are increasingly persuaded that regulatory changes won’t work. They say the gaming industry is powerful enough to block or shape them. Rohan Wenn, of the campaign group Bad Bets Australia, says a ban is cleaner.

Updated February 24, 2018 09:24:53

The Liberals and the pro-pokies lobby are standing by claims that thousands of jobs will be lost if poker machines are banned from pubs, despite the ABC's Fact Check unit declaring them to be wrong.

They were maintaining the claims as about 70 people rallied in Hobart on the lawns of Parliament House to call for the election to be treated as a referendum on poker machines.

Throughout the pokies debate, the Liberals have repeated industry claims that 5,100 jobs were at risk if Labor was elected, and the machines were restricted to the state's two casinos.

The ABC Fact Check team found the claims to be wrong, but Treasurer Peter Gutwein remains convinced pubs would be forced to close.

He stood by the claim that thousands of jobs would go under Labor's policy.

'I don't think anybody is arguing against the fact that jobs will be lost, and I believe it will be thousands,' Mr Gutwein said.

'There will be direct job losses in the industry, and there will be job losses right through the supply chain.'

Michael Best from the Love Your Local campaign said he arrived at the 5,100 figure because there were 3,000 people employed at the 96 pubs that contain pokies, and there is 2,100 Federal Group employees.

'We never said 5,100 jobs are going to be lost in entirety, we just said they were unsure and unclear about their future,' Mr Best said.

He criticised the Fact Check unit's investigation.

'I'm not interested in fiction, I'm interested in the facts, if people want to know how our jobs are going to be impacted, they need to ask me,' he said.

'We've been clear on the job number from the start of our campaign.'

Labor leader Rebecca White said the pro-pokies lobby had been scaremongering, and removing pokies from pubs would actually boost the economy.

'The Liberal Party have been caught out lying,' Ms White said.

'They've repeatedly said thousands of jobs would be lost and that is a lie, and they need to apologise.'

Anti-pokies told 'make election a referendum' on pokies

About 70 people gathered on Parliament lawns to protest against poker machines, and the state's history of giving Federal Group a monopoly gaming license for free.

Pat Caplice from Rein in the Pokies said the machines caused harm and should never have been allowed in the community.

'We're here today to try and tame the pokies,' Mr Caplice said.

'Make this election a referendum on fairness.'

He said the Liberals were 'giving away' licenses worth $250 million to pubs under the model the party had proposed where pubs and clubs would own and operate the machines.

Mr Gutwein said it was an incorrect claim.

'Our policy will actually increase the value to the state,' he said.

Mr Gutwein said the Liberals policy amounted to '$320 million in value over 20 years'.

'Labor's policy will cost $260 million in lost revenue,' he said.

Topics:gambling, states-and-territories, tas, burnie-7320, hobart-7000

First posted February 23, 2018 19:50:00

Poker Machines Need To Be Banned

Updated December 13, 2017 13:22:01

Electronic gaming machines will be removed from Tasmanian pubs and clubs by 2023 under Labor's gambling policy announced today.

The move, which would see around 2,300 poker machines stripped out of venues across the state over the next five years, but remain in casinos, was unveiled today as part of Labor's pitch for government at the looming March state election.

Under the Labor policy, a $55 million package would be implemented to assist affected venues.

A 'club sustainability fund' of $5 million would 'ensure important clubs, like RSLs', can be viable, Labor said.

The policy includes:

• $20 million 'transitional support for venues that choose to surrender their machines prior to 2023'
• $25 million 'loan pool to provide long-term, low-interest loans to businesses transitioning to new business models'
• $500,000 in grants to sporting clubs
• $500,000 in 'business development advice'
• $4 million for 'staff retraining and professional development'

In a statement, Labor said the 'harmful impacts of poker machine gambling are widespread'.

'They affect an individual's health, their family, relationships and work. For every person who is harmed by their own gambling, seven other people are affected.'

Labor leader Rebecca White said: 'The Liberals are not willing to make this decision, which is the right one for the economy and the right decision for Tasmanians.'

Under a monopoly licence all poker machines in Tasmania are operated by one company, the Federal Group, which is wholly owned by the Sydney-based Farrell family.

Ms White said Labor would 'give notice to Federal Hotels that the current deed allowing poker machines in venues other than casinos will not be extended beyond 2023'.

Poker Machines Should Be Banned In Australia

'The gaming deed with Federal Hotels clearly states that the earliest date notice can be given to vary arrangements is July 2018.

'We have a once-in-a-generation chance to make the right decision and the right decision is to remove poker machines from our suburbs and towns and keep them in casinos,' Ms White said.

'Research shows more than 80 per cent of Tasmanians want poker machines out of pubs and clubs — I have listened, Labor has listened and we are ready to do the right thing.'

Pokies, politics and profits

How the Farrell family's Federal Group gained an exclusive licence to operate all of Tasmania's poker machines — for free.

'It's quite clear to us, and we have every confidence, this would actually create jobs,' Ms White said.

She said last financial year, Tasmanians lost $110 million on poker machines in pubs and clubs, 'money that could be better spent in our communities supporting small business and families'.

Debate On Poker Machines Should Be Banned

'The recirculation of that $110 million in the Tasmanian community has been demonstrated to increase 180 jobs across Tasmania if only half of that money is re-spent in the communities,' Ms White said.

Labor had been under significant pressure to release its poker machine policy, after a number of MPs indicated the party was leaning towards watering down its position.

'Still time for Govt to reconsider': Anglicare

Anglicare Tasmania welcomed Labor's announcement and said it was 'pleased politicians were catching up with community sentiment'.

'Labor has responded to the clear vision of Tasmanians who want thriving local neighbourhoods free of poker machines,' Anglicare's Meg Webb said in a statement.

'They examined the evidence, listened to local communities and have made the right choice on this issue.'

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Ms Webb said 'the opportunity is still there for the Liberal Government to reconsider its policy'.

Labor's gambling policy stands at odds with the Government, which has said it wants to open up to tender the rights to operate EGMs outside the casino environment after 2023, with a reduction of 150 machines across the state.

In September, a joint parliamentary committee decided against recommending a ban on electronic gaming machines (EGMs) in Tasmanian pubs and clubs, but urged a 'significant' reduction in machine numbers.

The committee's Future Gaming Markets Report found of the gambling industry's $311 million revenue in 2015 to 2016, the Government recovered $96.4 million in taxes, fees, penalties and levies.

It also found gaming revenues contribute 1 per cent of state revenue.

Topics:gambling, political-parties, government-and-politics, tas

First posted December 13, 2017 11:22:04