The Greens warmly welcome a new open letter, signed by a wide variety of advocates and organisations, in support of a comprehensive and mandatory pokies pre-commitment card.
In recent weeks we’ve heard both Liberal and Labor politicians speaking straight from the playbook of the pokies lobby. They’ve talked a lot about industry profits, but pretty much ignored the terrible harm pokies cause to vulnerable Tasmanians, their families, and the wider community.
We first heard Jeremy Rockliff refusing to back his government’s own pokies policy when he evaded repeated questions from the Greens in Parliament. Then the Premier said he wants a “more measured approach”. Recently we’ve seen Labor questioning the mandatory card and pushing for it to be watered down to useless. It’s shameful.
It’s hopeful to see such a wide variety of signatories to this new letter, but it’s terrible we’ve reached the point where they have no other choice. Community organisations and advocates clearly feel shut out by the Premier, who seems squarely focused on delivering another win for the pokies industry.
For decades we’ve seen the gambling industry hold power over Liberal and Labor politicians. That’s what we’re seeing again now. It’s no exaggeration to say they are betraying the community by walking away from the agreed strong policy. After all, most Tasmanians want to see real action to stop pokies’ harm.
This government promised to deliver their nation-leading pokies’ reforms. They promised a mandatory pre-commitment card, with all the features recommended by an extensive report from the Liquor and Gaming Commission. For the sake of the thousands of Tasmanians lives and livelihoods harmed by pokies, this is what they must deliver.
