Pokies to lead agenda

David Killick | Mercury | 12 October 2021  

GAMBLING reforms and antiprotest legislation will headline debate as parliament resumes on Tuesday after a two-week break.

The Liberal government is attempting to pass the major reforms, plus changes to the TAFE system and electoral donation laws, before parliament rises for the year late next month.

Premier Peter Gutwein urged that the gambling reforms be passed without amendment.

“This legislation has been the most discussed legislation that I’ve seen in my 20 years in public life,” he said.

“We took our policy to the 2018 election, we were clear, the legislation delivers on that policy.

“I would hope the Legislative Council would see quite clearly we’ve now been through not one but two elections and the legislation is robust, it is sound, and it will deliver on what we said.”

But independent member for Nelson Meg Webb called on both major parties to back what she described as “simple measures in place to make an addictive product safer to use”, as she decried the draft legislation as a bad deal for Tasmania.

“It introduces new gambling products to our state, gives casinos massive tax discounts and drives us towards higher levels of pokies addiction and harm,” she said,

“If the government and opposition tries to rush this complex Bill through parliament without proper examination, we will know exactly who is pulling their strings and whose interests they are serving.”

Independent Kristie Johnston and federal MP Andrew Wilkie restated their opposition to the laws.

Meanwhile, Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said her party would move a motion of no confidence in Resources Minister Guy Barnett over his approval of an invalid mining lease in Tarkine.

And a coalition of human rights, social justice and environment organisations has called on the government to abandon its anti-protest laws.

Human Rights Law Centre senior lawyer Yusur Al-Azzawi said the Bill threatened people with prison for a range of protest-related actions covered by existing laws.

“Whether it’s women’s rights, racial justice, the environment or gambling harm, our ability to come together and speak out on the things we care about is fundamental to our democracy,” she said.

“The Tasmanian government must stop these repeated attempts to silence advocacy once and for all.”

Community Legal Centres Tasmania president Jane Hutchison said the Bill was anti-freedom. “If passed, this Bill will have a chilling effect on the community’s right to protest,” she said.

Civil Liberties Australia, TasCOSS and the Bob Brown Foundation also expressed concerns about the Bill.

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