Gaming & Racing

Advice to Premier: stand up to more pokies push and throw off puppet tag

susie — 2009-12-16T21:54:23Z

Read the article in the Sun Herald

"Premier Kristina Kenneally will just reinforce the puppet image she has been tagged with if she supports NSW Clubs’ demand to reduce or defer club tax payments," Ms Rhiannon said.

"If the Premier is committed to assisting the vulnerable in our society she will give priority to turning around her government’s gambling policy.

"NSW must start treating gambling as a health issue not a revenue tap.

"If Premier Kenneally has the courage to take on the club and hotel industry over gambling she will gain wide community support.

"A recent report challenges the gambling industry assertion that there is no link between problem gambling and access to gambling machines.

"Collaboration between Australian and New Zealand researchers undermines the spin coming from Clubs NSW with the assistance of their corporate backer, the accounting multinational KPMG.

"The report by Judith Stubbs and Associates, UNSW and the Auckland University of Technology also challenges the gambling industry on machine numbers. They have found that communities are willing to continually accept more pokies and that there is no saturation point.

"Rather than bow to industry pressure for more gambling machines the Premier should put forward a plan to reduce the number of machines in NSW.

"The Greens recognise the important community work NSW clubs undertake but using this argument to justify more gambling machines is just industry manipulation.

"Western Australia only has poker machines in the state’s casino. The clubs in that state have not suffered from the lack of a pokie-based revenue stream. There is a healthy range of state wide community and sporting facilities supported by local clubs and the government.

"The notion that in NSW community sporting facilities have to rely on money raised from gambling to exist is sick and has no part in responsible gambling and sporting policy," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information - 0427861568

Star City Casino pockets unclaimed winnings

aorme — 2010-07-02T20:14:21Z

SMH page 12

today.

"If Labor and the Coalition do not move quickly to clean up this

underhand financial win for Star City Casino it will reflect badly on

both parties as they both accept donations from the Casino," Ms

Rhiannon said.

"Sydney's Casino only found $200,000 in unclaimed winnings over 15

years while Crown Casino in Melbourne hands over almost the same

amount annually to the Victorian Treasurer from unclaimed winnings.

"Either Melbourne Casino patrons are far more forgetful than those in

Sydney, or Star City Casino is secretly pocketing and not fully

disclosing these unclaimed winnings.

"Since the last state election Labor has received nearly $350,000 from

the Star City Casino owners in political donations. It is not a good

look for the NSW government when they allow the Casino to operate

under such weak laws.

"The laws governing the Casino need to be brought into line with

Victoria where unclaimed winnings are handed to the Treasurer.

"This is another example of the NSW government being generous with

Star City Casino and the result is that Tabcorp, the Casino owners,

enjoys more money.

"The owners of Star City Casino need to explain why there is a big

divergence between its unclaimed winnings and those at Melbourne’s

Crown Casino.

"This major discrepancy underlines the need for more stringent

auditing and a law change to ensure this money does not go to Tabcorp

but goes into consolidated revenue.

"Star City Casino has benefited enormously from the ongoing loosening

of regulations by the Labor government which accepts large donations

from the Casino's owners.

"There is no justification for allowing Tabcorp to pocket the

unclaimed winnings," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information: Greens MP Lee Rhiannon 0427 861 568

Orphan deer exposes irresponsible shooting programs

leerhiannon — 2010-07-09T03:53:12Z

(Daily Telegraph, page 1, http://bit.ly/aYXi1g)

"When non-professional shooters are used to cull animals, poor practices can go undetected," Ms Rhiannon said.

"Animal welfare and public safety are being put at risk by the cowboy operations of recreational shooters in the Illawarra area.

"The NSW government's backing of the Game Council implies that shooting is the way to control feral animals.

"This policy is becoming increasingly discredited due to safety concerns, animal cruelty issues and the increase in feral animal numbers.

"We don't know exactly what happened to the fawn's mother but it is unsurprising locals have linked this orphaned fawn with the activities of recreational shooters.

"The failure to have animal welfare groups supervise culls, as required in professional operations, could well be linked to this sad story.

"This fawn has suffered greatly from losing its mother. The government needs to get its priorities right and ensure that any culling programs do not put orphaned animals at further risk.

"The NSW government has been too willing to meet the wishes of the Shooters Party by allowing the expansion of recreational shooting. This orphaned fawn could well be the sorry end to one of those hunting expeditions," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information: 0427 861 568

Favoured treatment for Casino, bad news for patrons

aorme — 2010-06-10T22:54:12Z

Daily Telegraph, page 9, today

"Considering that Star City Casino is one of Labor's biggest donors,
providing almost half a million to the government over the last decade,
this latest legislation looks like a case of who pays the piper calls
the tune," Ms Rhiannon said

"The Coalition also backed this legislation.

"The Gaming Department admitted that the new laws were drafted at the
Casino's request.

"In 1998 a young man Peter Dalamangas died at Star City Casino as a
result of excessive force employed by Casino security officers. This law
shields the Casino and its staff from criminal liability if such an
unjustified use of force occurs again, if they acted in 'good faith' - a
term not defined in the bill.

"This new law will increase the risk that Casino staff act recklessly
when removing patrons subject to an exclusion order, knowing they are
immune from conviction.

"NSW Parliament's Legislative Review Committee was so concerned with
the implications of the new provisions that it wrote to the Minister
seeking a response. The explanation given doesn't really help - hotels
and clubs have this provision, so why not the Casino?

"The Casino is also shielded from being sued for a situation where
problem gamblers get into a Casino, burn up thousands and then seek to
sue, in a similar case brought by Melbourne high roller and problem
gambler Harry Kakavas against the Crown Casino.

"This will remove the impetus to properly monitor and enforce the
excluded persons program, a key protection for problem gamblers who
regularly attend the Casino.

"In recent years the Casino owners have won many prizes from the
government. Concessions include extending the length of its operating
license, reducing reviews of its operation, granting extra poker
machines and exemptions from liquor and smoking laws.

"The Minister for Gaming would be best to turn his mind to how to
tackle the complex challenge of problem gambling, rather than returning
favours to his government's generous donors in the Casino, clubs and
pubs industry," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information - 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

Productivity Commission: Keneally urged to regulate gambling industry for public good

leerhiannon — 2010-06-23T03:56:16Z

"It's time the government regulated the gambling industry based on
public interest, not the amount of donations received from the gambling,
hotel and club industry," Ms Rhiannon said.

"Premier Kristina Keneally should today announce her government's
support for the Commission's recommendations. With the looming crisis
caused by problem gambling this would be the responsible position for
the government to take.

"Problem gambling can result in homelessness, depression, child neglect
and the breakdown of families and relationships.

"Ms Keneally should move to immediately adopt the recommendations that require poker machines to not accept $50 notes and have all single bets limited to $1.

"These measures would reduce the risk of people becoming problem
gamblers.

"Over the past decade the gambling, hotel and club industry has donated
more than $7 million to Labor and more than $4 million to the Coalition
parties.

"The only group that wouldn't want reforms backed by the Productivity
Commission are pubs and clubs that enjoy the financial benefits of the
social cost of problem gambling.

"The Productivity Commission also noted that in some jurisdictions, the
taxes on gambling revenue are too low. NSW is a clear example of this.

"The NSW government just cut the tax payable on poker machine profits,
in a direct contrast to the recommendation from the Productivity
Commission.

"NSW Labor tried to sell the tax cut as a rescue package for small
country pubs, but it's more likely a desperate grab for more donations
in the lead up to next March*s state election.

"Both the Government and the Opposition have a responsibility to the
public to stop wooing donations from clubs and pubs, and adopt the
recommendations of the Productivity Commission," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information - 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
http://democracy4sale.org/

Lotteries sale confusion: govt should release its legal advice

susie — 2010-07-09T03:53:33Z

"With conflicting legal advice about the validity of allowing Tatts Group to have this $200 million slush bucket of unclaimed prize money, it's incumbent on the Treasurer to release his advice for public scrutiny," Ms Rhiannon said.

"When changes to the Lotteries Act were debated there was no suggestion that the government would allow the private buyer of NSW Lotteries access to unclaimed prize money.

"A straightforward reading of the now controversial s27A suggests the unclaimed prize money would stay with the government.

"The Treasurer claims he has obtained legal advice that makes it clear that this part of the sale is valid. To provide certainty, he should do the right thing and release this advice to the public.

"Any laws are open to interpretation and legal advice is well known to vary depending upon who is paying the bill.

"This is a government which has pushed through new freedom of information laws, heralding a new era of government.

"This sell off of a significant public asset is beginning to look very dodgy.

"Premier Keneally needs to build public confidence in Labor's administration.

"Directing the Treasurer to release this legal advice would be the best thing to do if Ms Keneally wishes to restore credibility to her government around this sell-off.

"Keeping this legal advice under wraps will only build the perception that something dodgy is going on," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information: 0427 861 568

Govt and clubs twist surveys to minimise extent of problem gambling

leerhiannon — 2010-05-23T01:11:18Z

“The Minister and Clubs NSW claim a recent study shows rates of
problem gambling in NSW have been cut in half and that we now has the
lowest rate of gambling in Australia. They link an alleged decrease in
problem gambling to the success of prevention programs,” Ms Rhiannon
said.

“It appears the government and clubs are working to massage NSW
figures to improve the industry's reputation in the lead up to the
release of the Productivity Commission's final report on gambling due
mid year.

“The Minister and Clubs NSW are referring to results of a 2009 NSW
Health phone survey and comparing it to a 2006 gambling survey which
has a different design and reach. This is like comparing apples to
oranges.

"Measuring the extent and impacts of problem gambling is undoubtedly
difficult, but this does not excuse the repeated attempts of the
Gaming Minister and the gambling industry to spin the figures and
downplay the extent of the problem.

"Both the NSW government and the clubs movement are making a killing
from the gambling industry. It is negligent of them to misrepresent
the figures and downplay the extent of gambling addiction to further
their own interests.

"If we minimise the devastating impact of problem gambling for
individuals and their families it lessens the case for tougher
regulation and increased services which are so sorely needed.

"For over a decade the government has resisted cracking down on the
gambling industry because of the millions it creams from its
operations and receives from clubs and pubs in political donations.

"It's time that the government treated gambling as a public health
issue, not a revenue tap, and directed increased resources to
prevention and treatment,” Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information: Lee Rhiannon 0427 861 568

NSW Lotteries sale signals long term losses to public purse

susie — 2010-07-09T04:24:51Z

"Treasurer Eric Roozendaal has sold off NSW Lotteries in an attempt to manage the NSW budget shortcomings ahead of next year's election," said Ms Rhiannon.

"Given their track record we cannot trust the Tatts Group or the state government to prioritise reducing problem gambling ahead of increasing profits.

"We would have been better off holding on to NSW Lotteries as a source of revenue for future generations, instead of flogging it off.

"It's bad economic sense to sell off a public asset that makes money to fund recurring costs like wages for teachers, nurses and police.

"The government should be investing this money in capital expenditure that will reap long term benefits, like building public transport infrastructure, instead of shoring up the shortfalls in its next budget.

"The Tatts Group has made enormous profits from driving up poker machine gambling, and will no doubt want to expand the lotteries market with new games to recruit new gamblers and increase tickets sale.

"The Treasurer has given a quick boost to NSW coffers from the sale of Lotteries before protecting potential problem gamblers and young people.

“The Lotteries sell off will result in a shift from a soft gambling product to a more damaging product as the Tatts Group will be intent on maximising their profits.

“Lottery products will proliferate in supermarkets and where ever the private owner can place them. Problem gambling will receive minimal consideration in the rush to increase lottery sales through vending machines and multiple outlets.

"The $850 million business consideration fee paid by the Tatts Group will ease the way for them to expand lotteries sales with new niche markets.

"The Tatts Group push to drive up lotteries sales will increase the conflict of interest between maximising gambling revenue and reducing problems gambling.

"The details of this deal will be buried in the contract and hidden from public behind commercial-in-confidence provisions," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information: 0427 861 568

Big Labor donor Star City Casino wins less regulation

pretaadmin — 2009-07-02T03:53:21Z

Ms Rhiannon says the move risks escalating crime and problem gambling at the casino. She says it also suggests an unhealthy relationship between the NSW ALP and two of its biggest donors, Star City Casino and Tabcorp, which have donated $448,827 over the last decade (p. 3, SMH, 19 June 2009).

"The only plausible explanation for the government further loosening regulation governing the casino is the nearly half a million dollars in donations the NSW ALP has been pocketed from the Star City and Tabcorp over the last decade," Ms Rhiannon said.

The Casino Control Amendment Bill was introduced on Tuesday. The Minister for Gaming Kevin Greene flagged that a 'second tranche of reforms will be introduced later this year'.

Examples of the changes include the Casino Gaming Authority losing its function of directly supervising the casino. The casino will be subject to a comprehensive operational review every 5 not 3 years. It can now use virtual chips and bank internationally, not just in NSW, to better attract international high rollers.

"The government has sunk to a new low in delivering for its major donors, punching big holes into what should be a very tight regulatory scheme governing NSW's only casino.

"These amendments will significantly reduce scrutiny of the Casino's operations, risking an escalation in problem gambling and crime.

"This loosening of regulatory control will allow organised crime, money laundering, prostitution, drug dealing, loan sharks and problem gambling to escalate.

"Generous donations from Tabcorp and Star City to the government and escalating tax revenue have laid the ground for this bill which further strips back regulation of the casino.

"The Greens donations project shows that in 2008 the casino donated $110,000 to the government two months before it was granted approval for a $344 million expansion.

"In 2007 the casino made a $112,200 donation to NSW Labor just months before it began negotiations over its monopoly casino license.

"The beneficiaries of these new laws are the government, the casino and high rollers, with the clear losers being problem gamblers and law and order.

For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

The bill can be found here: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/nswbills.nsf/0/A0D60BFDAB083DD6CA2575D700209838

'Gambling Help' $2.4m plan just cosmetic surgery

pretaadmin — 2009-04-15T01:41:30Z

"The government has consistently refused to increase the 2 per cent
levy on Star City Casino revenue to provide more funding to the
Responsible Gambling Fund for counselling services," Ms Rhiannon said.

"Problem gambling services have been bled bone dry and there is an
urgent need for more funding for prevention and early intervention and
education and treatment services.

"The government appears to lack the political will to reign in the
gambling industry which is the real solution to problem gambling in this
state

"The government must arrange 'buy back' arrangements to cut the number
of machines, ban ATMs from gambling venues and follow Victoria’s lead
and give local government a far more significant regulatory role.

"Repackaging existing services and branding them with a fancy name will
do little to address the real need for expanded treatment and
counselling services in this state.

"This initiative is designed to make the government look like it is
acting on problem gambling, but really it's tinkering around the edges.

"Gaming and Racing Minister Kevin Greene needs to pursue a much tougher
reform agenda.

"Minister Greene should hand responsibility for gambling to NSW Health,
following New Zealand's lead, and set targets for reducing the number of
poker machines in NSW.

"The reality is that the millions in revenue and political donations
flowing to the government from the gambling industry have led to a
catastrophic failure in public policy in NSW," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568