MEDIA
Media Release – Delay Switching on Poker Machines
Member for Nelson Meg Webb today called on the Gutwein Government to delay the switching on of poker machines on Friday. “It would be irresponsible to proceed with the proposed reopening of the State’s poker machine rooms, in light of recent interstate experiences...
Call to delay switching pokies back on following three-month shutdown
POKER machines, due to be switched back on this Friday, should be left off, according to independent MLC Meg Webb.But Premier Peter Gutwein firmly rejected the idea, accusing Ms Webb of wanting a nanny state.Ms Webb said Tasmanians had saved more than $42 million in...
Switching poker machines back on will be worse-case scenario
Seven News Tasmania "Switching poker machines back on at this time will be absolutely the worse-case scenario for our State" It will be putting our community at higher risk of pokies harm and it will be a real detriment to our economic recovery." Hon Meg Webb...
Pokies closures a welcome break for at-risk gamblers
WIN NEWS Welfare groups back Meg Webb's call to leave poker machines turned off.
Opinion – Elder Abuse Awareness
COVID-19 has put a spotlight on older people in our Tasmanian community. They have been more susceptible to the worst effects of the virus, and the enforced restrictions have also created a higher risk of elder abuse and neglect.Elder abuse in our community is a...
Why poker machines should remain turned off
Meg Webb MLC talks about why poker machines should stay switched off during COVID-19 with Lucy Breaden.
Tasmania’s House of Assembly ignores upper house push for a new coronavirus inquiry
The government has ignored a message from the Legislative Council to appoint a joint select parliamentary committee to inquire into the state's immediate and ongoing response to coronavirus.The upper house on Wednesday night supported Nelson independent Meg Webb's...
Impact of COVID-19 on online gambling not yet known: Tasmanian government
The state government has brought forward a planned online gambling campaign but says there is not yet any evidence online betting has increased during COVID-19. Responding to questions from Nelson independent MLC Meg Webb in the Legislative Council on Thursday, Leader...
Upper House vote for parliamentary oversight thrown out
A BID to hold a wide-ranging parliamentary inquiry into the Government’s coronavirus response has failed after Speaker Sue Hickey used her casting vote to block it.Independent MLC Meg Webb’s motion in favour of the parliamentary Joint House Select Committee inquiry...
Missed Opportunity for Leadership on COVID-19 Oversight
Tasmania is set to remain the only Australian jurisdiction with restricted COVID-19 parliamentary oversight and community input opportunities, after moves to establish a Joint House inquiry was blocked by the State government today.“Sadly, the leadership demonstrated...
LegCo in support of more state scrutiny
A MOTION for the creation of a multi-party committee to scrutinise the State Government’s responses to coronavirus has been accepted by the Legislative Council.Last night, Nelson MLC Meg Webb said the state was lagging behind the rest of the country on parliamentary...
Upper house supports motion calling for further parliamentary scrutiny of Tasmania’s COVID-19 response
A motion calling for the establishment of a joint select committee to inquire into and report upon the state's immediate and ongoing COVID-19 response has been supported by the upper house.The motion, introduced by Nelson independent MLC Meg Webb, narrowly passed the...
Opinion – Virus response must build on trust
Comprehensive COVID-19 Response and Recovery Inquiry Invests in Trust Like many, I’ve watched with horror the recent distressing events across the United States.There are many complex factors underlying this situation, but the civic disturbances are occurring in the...
Nelson MLC Meg Webb says Tasmania is lagging behind rest of country on scrutiny of coronavirus response
Premier Peter Gutwein has flat out rejected further calls for a “disingenuous” committee to scrutinise the State Government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Tasmania, saying it is not necessary. A LEGISLATIVE Council member has made a renewed plea for...
Tasmanian Government resists calls for new parliamentary committee to analyse coronavirus actions
Calls are growing louder for a joint parliamentary committee to be formed to inquire into the state's response to and recovery from the coronavirus outbreak. Nelson independent MLC Meg Webb on Wednesday said she had written to state party leaders and independent...
Motion calling for a Parliamentary Inquiry into Tasmania’s COVID-19 response
Meg Webb MLC explains why Tasmania needs a Parliamentary Inquiry into its COVID-19 response on ABC Drive Hobart with Lucy Breaden.
More than 430k driver licences shared to facial recognition database
As at March 18 this year, Tasmania had uploaded 430,113 of its citizens' driver's licence photos to the national facial recognition database.The state government has uploaded more than 430,000 Tasmanians' driver's licence photos to the national facial recognition...
Opinion – Tasmanians save over $20 million since pokies venues closed
As Tasmanians rally together to meet the challenge of COVID-19 we’re reminded that health and well-being is our highest priority, both as individuals and communities.It’s clear that we are all connected in this crisis, we can’t leave anyone behind.So, we work together...
Less pokies means huge savings for Tasmanians Meg Webb on ABC Hobart
Meg Webb, Independent Member for Nelson in the Upper House talking about how much Tasmanians have saved so far because venues with poker machines in them have been forced to close their doors. It has just ticked over $20 million. ...
Hitting a nerve
IT seems I've hit a nerve with the truth on pokies harm. Two thirds of Tassie pubs and over 95 per cent of clubs don't have pokies. Pokies create an uneven playing field in the hospitality industry but hold the greatest sway over its representatives. What a shame for...
Figures show losses of $9.09 million in March 2020
The closure of poker machines in Tasmania resulted in a $4 million reduction in gambling losses for March compared to last year, new figures from the Tasmanian Gaming Commission reveal.Coronavirus measure closed pubs and clubs and casinos on March 23 resulting in the...
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...
Peter Hoult says poker machine closures a positive thing amid crisis
Millions of extra dollars from federal government stimulus payments will stay in the pockets of Tasmanian households because poker machines have been closed down due to the coronavirus.Former Tasmanian Gaming Commission chairman Peter Hoult said venue closures meant...
Opinion – Premier, an Emergency Committee will Protect our Democracy
At the heart of democracy is accountability to the people. Accountability isn’t just about catching out a government doing the wrong thing, it is about the public being able to know, objectively, that the government is doing the right thing. Open and transparent...
Gutwein urged to explain why pokies industry proposal became Liberal policy
Premier accused of ‘gaslighting’ as consultation paper ignores gaming commission advice Bob Burton Tasmanian Inquirer The Gutwein government is yet to explain why it disregarded advice on poker machine policy from Treasury and the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming...
Opinion – Tasmanians are still being played by Pokies Policy
Meg Webb MLC says Tasmanians should be bitterly disappointed that the Government has excluded their voice on planned pokies reforms.Four years ago on 17 March 2016, in a statement to Parliament on gaming reform, Treasurer Peter Gutwein, said:‘the process that led to...
Submission to Future Gaming In Tasmania consultation paper
The Government’s proposed policy for individual licensing after 2023 has never received public scrutiny and assessment. Even this limited consultation on the regulatory framework forbids people from commenting on the policy.Modelling on the social and economic impacts...
Legislative Council to Scrutinise Government Approach to Pokies
The Hon. Meg Webb. MLC, Independent Member for Nelson will tomorrow bring on debate on her motion calling on the Government to give Tasmanians the full story about pokies and gaming in Tasmania.With the Government’s limited consultation on the implementation of their...
Meg Webb calls for Scrutiny of Pokies Policy and Gaming Area Closures during COVID-19
March 17, 2020: Meg spoke to Leon Compton on the Mornings program in the lead up to her Poker Machines Motions speech. In the talk Meg discussed the need for scrutiny of the Government’s pokies policy, as well as suggesting, with the threat of COVID-19 causing ever...
