MEDIA RELEASE

NICK XENOPHON M.L.C.

INDEPENDENT NO POKIES MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL  

27 July, 2004

ODDS ON GAMBLING WILL BE KEY FEDERAL ELECTION ISSUE

No Pokies MLC Nick Xenophon has welcomed Labor Leader Mark Latham’s policy discussion paper on gambling in Adelaide earlier today, but says “both Labor and the Liberals need to go much much further to tackle problem gambling head on.”

Mr Xenophon said that he welcomed Mr Latham’s statement at Wesley United Care’s Adelaide office earlier today as an indication that the major parties were taking problem gambling seriously as an issue.

“Whilst gambling policy is primarily a State Government responsibility there is a very real role for the Commonwealth to be involved to reduce the harm caused.  There are also specific Commonwealth Government powers over banking, which gives the Commonwealth the right to legislate over the location of ATMs at gambling venues, as well as banking and tele-communication powers in relation to on-line gambling.”

“Gambling doesn’t just take away the ladder of opportunity for individuals, it can take the ground away from underneath the feet of their families and keep them in perpetual poverty.”

“Gambling addiction – from pokies in particular – is a major preventable cause of poverty in this country with well over 40% of pokies losses coming from problem gamblers.  With well over $9 billion a year lost on pokies - that’s an almost $4 billion a year poverty trap.”

Mr Xenophon said that he was very concerned that Labor hadn’t yet changed its policy on on-line gambling, as it opposed the Howard Government’s Interactive Gambling Act in 2001.

“Any Federal Policy platform on gambling that doesn’t nip on-line gambling in the bud is way out of line with the wishes of most Australians.  As the Rev Tim Costello has previously said – ‘With internet gambling you will soon be able to lose your home without ever actually having to leave it’”

Mr Xenophon said that he was concerned the major parties were going “weak at the knees” with on-line gambling.

“The Federal Government’s decision to give the Packers a green light on betting exchanges recently will see more and more ordinary Australians getting hopelessly in the red.”