North Coast clubs concerned about Labor’s pokies’ reforms, Hartsuyker tells Parliament

November 3, 2011

Federal MP Luke Hartsuyker has raised in the Federal Parliament the concerns of North Coast Clubs from the federal seats of Cowper, Page and Lyne.

During a speech today Mr Hartsuyker said clubs across the region had contacted him questioning the motives of Julia Gillard’s policy and the impact the new laws would have on the community.  “It is clear that the only reason that 4,000 clubs are subject to this assault is that Julia Gillard needs the support of the member for Denison to remain in power,” Mr Hartsuyker told the Parliament.

“She broke an election promise on the carbon tax in order to secure the support of the member for Melbourne and now she is selling out the five million club members to win a vote from the member for Denison. It is a simple case of Julia Gillard putting political power and her own political survival ahead of the public interest. There are various reports on the impact of this policy. Clubs New South Wales has released details of what the costs will be to specific clubs on the New South Wales North Coast. For example, in my electorate of Cowper the forecast loss of income in the Coffs Harbour Ex-Services Club is almost $7 million.

“In Port Macquarie, in the member for Lyne's seat, the forecast loss of income is just under $5 million at the Port Macquarie Panthers club. At Ballina, in the member for Page's electorate, the RSL predicts this will cost them more than $4 million in lost income.

“If that is not a big enough hit, the clubs will then be slugged with huge increased costs. To give you one example, in the member for Lyne's electorate the Port Macquarie Panthers forecast that mandatory pre-commitment will cost them just under $4 million in compliance. That is $4 million of extra cost on the back of a $5 million drop in income.

"The pain will not just be felt by the big clubs. If mandatory pre-commitment is imposed on all clubs, the smaller ones will also struggle to survive. The net result will be job losses, a decline in the support for community groups and the closure of many vital amenities. The reality is there is absolutely no evidence that these radical measures by the government will do anything to address problem gambling.  Yesterday, representatives from 70 North Coast clubs met at Laurieton in the member for Lyne's seat. They are calling on the member for Lyne to support a proposal to trial its mandatory pre-commitment technology on poker machines.  This would allow members of parliament to fully understand what the impact on clubs would be before any vote is taken in the parliament.”

Mr Hartsuyker said he welcomed the release of discussion paper on problem gambling by Coalition leader Tony Abbott.  “This will provide all stakeholders with an opportunity to identify problems associated with gambling and suggest solutions. A coalition working group, in which I will be involved, will be actively consulting on a number of issues including a national voluntary pre-commitment program, more and better targeted counselling and support services, and a nationally consistent 'self-exclusion' program, including consideration of extending self-exclusion programs to third parties such as immediate family members.  I welcome the release of the discussion paper, which will ensure that the coalition balances the legitimate right of adult Australians to gamble responsibly against the establishment of appropriate protection and support for the small number of people for whom gambling can have tragic consequences.”

Mr Hartsuyker also placed on record some of the concerns of people who had contacted him about the Gillard Government’s poker machine laws.  “Geoff Aldwell from the Kempsey Macleay RSL Bowling Club says: ‘Introduction of such laws would be detrimental to our bowling club which receives financial support from our RSL Club.'  Allan Hudson, Secretary Manager of the Kendall Services and Citizens Club says: ‘If Mr Wilkie's prediction proves correct that this scheme will result in a drop in poker machine revenue of 40%, it is inconceivable that we can survive even if we could afford to install the technology.’  Paul Mcintosh, an employee from the Coffs Harbour Deep Sea Fishing Club who said he was likely to loose his job as a result of these new laws, said the Government and Andrew Wilkie had some questions to answer.

‘What have you factered in for the cost to each Club in what you are proposing?,’ Mr Mcintosh questioned.  ‘Where in your plan does this money come from?’

“He raises a number of good points and certainly highlights the concern within the clubs fraternity about the impact of these changes,” Mr Hartsuyker told the Parliament before his time expired.