Pubs and clubs boss hits out over pokies
The hospitality industry launched an extraordinary attack on anti-pokie campaigner Meg Webb over comments that a $17 million reduction in gambling losses was a good news story for Tasmania.
The Tasmanian Hospitality Association and the Federal Group said Ms Webb should apologise to thousands of workers who had lost their job because of coronavirus closures.
In The Examiner on Thursday, Ms Webb said the reduced pokie losses as a result of coronavirus-related closures would mean more money for household essentials.
THA chief executive Steve Old called for Ms Webb, the independent Legislative Council member for Nelson, to apologise to workers.
“It is time for Ms Webb to show some respect for the rest of the community by apologising for saying the loss of thousands of jobs is a good news story,” Mr Old said.
“In what are the toughest times ever faced by people all around the world, I haven’t seen Ms Webb once come out and say how she is going to help create jobs, get the economy back on track, and help keep Tasmanians stay safe from the virus.
“She just peddles the same waffle and shows clearly she is just a one-trick pony.”
Mr Old accused Ms Webb of downplaying the risks of online gambling.
“It is obvious Ms Webb has no issue with other forms of gambling as many of her friends who back her make their living from it so she needs to protect them,” he said.
“Why doesn’t Ms Webb tell us where she stands on gambling in general?”
Ms Webb said she was all for a thriving Tasmanian hospitality and tourism industry – the vast majority of which didn’t involve a reliance on profits from pokies and gambling harm.
“I stand by my comments that the $17 million and additional half a million per day that is remaining in the pockets of Tasmanian families while pokies are closed is a positive outcome for our state,” she said.
“There has categorically been a reduction in pokies’ harm due to these restrictions, and as venues reopen we should focus on what other measures we can put in place to continue to prevent and reduce further harm.
“I look forward to working as part of the Parliament, in the community and with industry and it’s representatives to support Tasmania’s recovery from the Coronavirus. “
A Federal Group spokeswoman said Ms Webb was trying to kick the hospitality sector while it was down.
“It is disappointing that anti-gaming advocates are using the COVID-19 crisis to make cheap political points,” the spokeswoman said.
“Now is the time to support the thousands of people who have lost their jobs and the businesses struggling to work out how they can reopen.”
Ms Webb said the March 23 closure of pokies meant Tasmanians had an additional $17 million in their pockets.
“That’s money which is available now to support other crucial Tasmanian businesses,” she said.
The stoush comes as the state government puts on hold consideration of post 2023 poker machine licensing.
Former Gaming Commission chairman Peter Hoult said the pokies’ lockdown would mean a proportion of the federal government’s $750 coronavirus stimulus payments would not be put into pokies.
A 13 per cent uptick in gambling, or $4 million in Tasmania, accompanied the Rudd Government’s GFC handouts in 2008-09.
The Federal Group spokeswoman likened Ms Webb’s present anti-pokie stance to that of alcohol prohibitionists after World War 1.
Nick Clark | The Examiner | May 1, 2020
