NZ - “Tighter controls on pokies needed”
23 March 2007
Green Party Gambling Spokesperson Sue Bradford says tighter
controls are needed on the gambling industry, and
particularly on pokie machines.
“There is increasing evidence that not only are pokies
damaging in their effect on people, they are also actually
deliberately designed to be harmful,” Ms Bradford told
crowds at an event in Otara today.
“The gambling industry has a vested interest in getting
people, whole communities and community sector organisations
hooked on pokies and these machines are designed to do just
that.
“Since pokies were introduced, technology has advanced
and these machines are being increasingly designed to seduce
and addict people. This is an unsafe product and should be
treated as such” Ms Bradford says.
Ms Bradford took part in two events in Auckland today to
mark the launch of a social marketing campaign aimed at
highlighting the damage caused to families, communities and
society by problem gambling.
She joined with community leaders, politicians and Otara
residents to call for tighter legislative reins to be put on
New Zealand’s gambling industry at the Rise Up! Concert
in Otara Shopping Centre. She also attended a forum in Three
Kings discussing issues relating to Asian gambling.
New Zealanders lose about $5.5 million a day through
gambling, and it’s estimated that about 50,000 adults may have
a serious problem. One in three people seeking help from
food banks in some areas are doing so due to gambling.
Ms Bradford is hoping to there will be an opportunity later
this year to strengthen laws surrounding gambling.
“The Government is likely to put forward legislation
amending the Gambling Act as the former ‘Responsible Gambling
Bill’ comes up for its three year review.
“It is time for action on the harm being done by pokie
machines. We need to put in place major reforms on gambling -
not to just tinker around the edges.
“The Greens fought hard a few years back to improve the
law around gambling and pokies but unfortunately the
Government didn’t take things as far as we would have liked.
Crucially, control over numbers, locations and licences should
be vested in local government.”
