Pre-selection threat for Tasmanian Labor MLCs over pokies stance in upcoming debate

Matt Maloney | The Advocate | 8 November 2021  

 The Legislative Council will debate the government’s pokies reforms this week, with Labor votes crucial to it passing.

Labor MLCs who do not stand by their previously held views on the damage caused by poker machines this week could have their pre-selection chances damaged, party powerbroker Tim Jacobson says.

Mr Jacobson, who is the head of the powerful Health and Community Services Union and a former party administration committee member, on Monday said party members had hopes that the government’s future gaming legislation would be sent to a parliamentary inquiry before it was enshrined into law.

The reforms passed the lower house last month with the support of Labor, which managed to get the government to direct the regulator to look into pre-commitment cards and facial recognition.

Labor MPs conceded the party had changed its position based on the result of the 2018 election.

Nelson independent MLC Meg Webb has signalled that she would move for the government’s bill to be sent to a parliamentary committee during debate on the proposed laws in the upper house this week.

Mr Jacobson said rank-and-file Labor Party members broadly held concerns over the lacking harm minimisation measures in the legislation.

He said at least four party branches had passed motions to have the bill sent to a committee for further scrutiny and had raise concerns around vested interests.

Mr Jacobson said members had been upset and disturbed that the party’s parliamentary wing had not adequately acknowledged the serious harm caused by poker machine use through legislative amendments.

“People are pinning their last ditch hope on those Labor MLCs that consider themselves to be progressives not to tow the party line,” he said.

“You would expect those people in the upper house to give this bill the level of scrutiny it requires, but if they don’t, I am aware of people in the party that would question whether Labor should in fact pre-select them into upper house positions in the next elections.

“If you see what they’ve said about poker machines in their communities in the past, it beggars belief that they would walk away from their own principles.”

Mr Jacobson said the Legislative Council election in Elwick next year, held by incumbent Josh Willie, would be hotly contested by a full field of candidates.

“That will threaten the overall vote for Josh anyway, let alone whether there is a challenge internally,” he said.

Tasmanian Labor was contacted for comment.

Hobart independent MLC Rob Valentine said he tended to be in favour of the legislation being put before a parliamentary inquiry so that all aspects and outcomes were forensically scrutinised.

“The way to do that is through an inquiry,” he said.

“There’s huge community interest in this and we need to give that due regard.”

Murchison independent MLC Ruth Forrest and Launceston independent MLC Rosemary Armitage both said they would listen to debate in the chamber on the issue before forming an opinion.

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