Rev Nile Supports Gaming Machine Freeze

Thursday 10th April 2008

The Rev Fred Nile, Leader of the Christian Democratic Party, has supported the temporary freeze on new gaming machine thresholds but has stated that the NSW Government needs to do more to reduce the incidence of gambling in NSW.

“The Christian Democratic Party supports the Gaming Machines Amendment (Temporary Freeze) Bill 2008. This bill is necessary to ensure that there is no gap. We want the freeze to continue. This bill will impose a freeze on new social impact assessment applications by hotels and clubs to increase their gaming machine thresholds or, in simple terms, the maximum number of gaming machines they may be authorised to keep on their premises. The freeze will remain in place until the commencement of the new Gaming Machines Act, which will contain a new and strengthened method for assessing the impact of additional gaming machines in an area. Many local communities already have a higher than average number of gaming machines and do not want, or need, any more. I certainly agree, and I echo that community concern.

It is reported that the Australian Hotels Association indicated in its submission to the Government's gaming review that it wanted an increase in the number of machines allowed in hotels. As members know, the House voted sometime ago to allow New South Wales pubs, like clubs, to have poker machines, and now 1,700 pubs have them. Of those, more than 350 hotels have between 20 and 30 poker machines each. The report that contains the Australian Hotels Association submission indicates that the association lobbied for an increased share in the gambling profits and sought an increase in the cap from 30 to 40 machines for each hotel. That is contrary to what the Australian Hotels Association said publicly, when it claimed to be satisfied with the current arrangement. The Christian Democratic Party urges the Government to reject that submission from the Australian Hotels Association, and I understand that it will not proceed. The Government should gradually reduce the number of poker machines in hotels and clubs. It is seeking to do that, and I am sure the community will support that move”, said Rev Fred Nile.

“Another issue of concern that has been raised both federally and in other States is cash machines on gaming premises. The New South Wales Labor Government must ban cash machines from gaming premises. They are a great temptation to gambling addicts, who are able to readily access cash to feed into poker machines. The Victorian Labor Government has legislated to ban cash machines from gambling venues from 2012. The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has also expressed concern about the amount of gambling occurring in Australia. He supports the action taken by Victoria and has questioned whether Federal laws should be introduced after the new Senate is sworn in later this year to force all States to take action. Banning automatic teller machines from clubs and hotels would be a great help to patrons who cannot control their gambling addictions.