Tasmanian Labor pledges to ‘support the rights’ of pubs and clubs to operate pokies, three years after pushing ban

Emily Baker | ABC News | March 31, 2021   

Tasmanian Labor has signed a deal with the state’s hospitality lobby stating the party “supports the rights” of pubs and clubs to operate poker machines — just three years after vowing to have them banned.

Key points:

• Labor vowed to confine poker machines to casinos in the 2018 state election
• The hospitality industry lobbied hard against the party, pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Liberal Party war chest
• Labor has now signed a deal with the Tasmanian Hospitality Association that “supports the rights” of pubs and clubs to operate pokies

The memorandum of understanding between Labor and the Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA), released publicly only after it was leaked to media, also shows the party has pledged to work with the THA to build an election package for the sector and appoint a hospitality minister if it wins government.

The THA and Labor have also agreed to collaborate on “potential, viable harm minimisation measures for gaming products while also agreeing that any measures need to be workable for industry”.

Speaking on Wednesday, state Labor leader Rebecca White initially declined to release the memorandum of understanding with the THA but said it was not a secret deal.

“The Labor Party has worked incredibly hard and diligently to build relationships right across industry with a number of stakeholders across the community,” Ms White said.

“I’m confident with the policies we announce we can support growth in that sector for years to come.”

Under the agreement, Labor leader Rebecca White would meet with THA boss Steve Old every quarter.

The THA lobbied hard against Labor in the 2018 state election after the party pledged to confine pokies to the state’s two casinos and end Sydney business Federal Group’s monopoly licence arrangement.

A campaign called Love Your Local plastered billboards over pubs and clubs with the slogan “Labor and the Greens think you’re stupid … Don’t let them tell you what to do”.

The broader industry poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Liberal Party’s war chest.

The agreement between the THA and Labor would also:

• Have THA chief executive Steve Old meet with Ms White every quarter
• Uphold current standards regarding union engagement and access in venues
• Work to reduce casualisation “where possible” in the hospitality workforce

“We’ve struck a number of agreements over a course of years, and I’m proud of that,” Ms White said.

“It shows our commitment to listen and to work on a range of issues we agree on.”

Mr Old said he was thrilled the deal had been struck and said he was pleased the memorandum of understanding had been leaked, pointing the finger at Labor.

“It’s my job as a lobbyist to make sure [I do] whatever I can for the industry, mate,” he said.

“There’s nothing in it we need to hide, we’re proud both major parties want to work with us on major issues.”

He added it the THA and Labor had not been “the best of friends” after the 2018 state election.

“If they wanted to have conversations behind closed doors on a raft of issues then I wanted to make sure that they would document it,” Mr Old said.

“To be honest with you, if it got to the point where this wasn’t released and they wanted to go back on any of the promises, I would’ve waved the MOU [memorandum of understanding] in front of [the media] and made sure they stuck to it.”

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said Labor’s position was “shameful”.

“This is shameful and Rebecca White should be ashamed of herself,” Ms O’Connor said.

“We’ve had to listen to lectures in Parliament, where Rebecca White goes on about secrecy in Government. Well, here you’ve got Labor concealing a secret deal that they signed up to with the pokies industry.”

Nelson independent MLC Meg Webb, an anti-pokies campaigner, accused Labor of “an incredible betrayal of the Tasmanian people”.

“Where is the MOU with the Tasmanian people, those that they claim to represent, to deliver responsible, safe, evidence-based policy when it comes to poker machines,” Ms Webb said.

“Labor’s claims to be focussed on harm minimisation are shown to be a complete sham by the detail in this MOU. They have effectively given the industry a continued veto power over any future harm minimisation measures.”

The Liberal Party announced its gaming policy in 2018 and released details last year.

It is yet to table the legislation — despite a pledge to do so before the incoming state election — and party leader Peter Gutwein has repeatedly refused to reveal the planned tax rate on poker machines in casinos.

Federal Group has lobbied for a lower tax rate.

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