|Greens MP for Balmain Kobi Shetty has condemned NSW Labor for failing to implement meaningful gambling reform to keep communities safe.
NSW residents lost a whopping $2.37 billion in the first three months of this year alone. Our Inner West community lost $42.6 million in that time. That’s the equivalent of $474,000 every single day, flowing out of our local community.
Despite skyrocketing gambling losses, NSW Labor have failed to implement meaningful reform.
Kobi Shetty MP for Balmain said:
“The Premier has put pokies reform in the too hard basket.
"NSW has nearly 88,000 poker machines, the highest number of pokies per capita of any jurisdiction on earth. We know these machines are devastating our communities. Every dollar lost represents real harm to individuals and their families.
"Despite rising gambling harm, the NSW budget reveals that Labor plans to give over $1 billion in tax concessions to poker machine operators. Meanwhile, they expect to rake in another $240 million in poker machine revenue over the next financial year.
"This government is too close to the gambling lobby, and they're putting pokies profits before ordinary people. We've heard a lot of talk from the recent NSW Labor Conference, but still very little action."
Many of the policies from the Conference reflect existing reforms.
There is already a cap on new poker machine licenses. The forfeiture rate was changed to one in two machines two years ago. The only genuine reform coming from the Labor Conference is the proposed ban on loyalty programs linked to pokies. And crucially, while this is a positive policy, the NSW Labor Government still needs to legislate the reform.
Shetty said:
"These reforms are incredibly disappointing. Labor continues to tinker around the edges while people are left to suffer. The state government should work with the federal government to implement the full suite of recommendations in the Murphy Report.
"It's been almost three years since this report was tabled, and it's disappointing to see ongoing stalling tactics from Labor.
"It's not enough to keep re-announcing the same reform initiatives. We need meaningful action to help reduce gambling harm in our communities, and we need it now.
"The Greens have a plan to work with pubs and clubs to get rid of pokies. In Western Australia, pokies can only be played in casinos - NSW should look at adopting the same model.
"We're also committed to banning all forms of gambling advertising. We know current exemptions that allow online gambling ads are exposing young people to gambling too early in life, setting them up for a lifetime of gambling losses and harm. A ban on gambling ads is urgently needed to keep young people safe."
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