Media Release: Pokies Reform Advocates Call Out Industry Pressure Behind Deloitte Report
Pokies Reform Advocates Call Out Industry Pressure Behind Deloitte Report
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said today the Tasmanian Labor and Liberal parties have received a timely challenge from national and local poker machine reform advocates to hold firm and deliver the promised poker machine pre-commitment card, and withstand pressure from the gambling industry.
“I welcome the timely Open Letter sent to every Tasmanian MP and co-signed by a coalition of local and national stakeholders with pokies reform expertise and lived experience,” Ms Webb said.
“Tim Costello, the Alliance for Gambling Reform and many of the Open Letter’s co-signatories work at the coal face assisting those impacted by pokies addiction and harm.
“The Open Letter authors know the very real desperation pokies harm inflicts, and they also know the very real difference for many Tasmanians the promised mandatory pre-commitment card could make.
“Significantly, this Open Letter calls out the bullying pokies industry tactics which the co-signatories warn are behind the apparent weakening of the Rockliff government’s resolve and the secretly commissioned Deloitte report.
“Suddenly we are also hearing the Labor opposition use industry-endorsed language such as ‘voluntary’ pokies pre-commitment cards which is wildly out of step with the evidence and independent recommendations for reform.
“The Open Letter strips bare the fact the Deloitte Report is part of the established gambling lobby playbook, designed to deny evidence-based best practice reforms and instead maintain the status quo and, most importantly, protect pokies industry profits.”
Ms Webb also called on the Premier to honour the recent Legislative Council vote calling for the release of the Deloitte Access economics report terms of reference.
“Despite the Upper House voting on Tuesday the 29th of October in support of my motion calling for the immediate release of the Deloitte review terms of reference, the Premier has failed to do so, which risks treating the Parliament with contempt.
“Governments which disrespect the will of the Parliament as expressed by a democratic vote, are also treating with disrespect the Tasmanian electors.
“If the Premier has nothing to hide and has not sold out the Tasmanian community, then there should be no impediment to Mr Rockliff providing a prompt and clear recommitment of his government’s election promise to deliver the independently recommended mandatory pokies pre-commitment card,” Ms Webb said.
View the Open Letter to the Premier from the Alliance for Gambling Reform and co-signed by 12 signatories, which was cirulated to all Tasmanian State MPs today, below or here.
