Call to extend community test on pokies

THE Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission has flagged the possibility of all the state’s poker machines — new and existing — being subject to a community interest test.

Commission chairwoman Jenny Cranston and member Stuart Barry yesterday again fronted another round of hearings before a parliamentary committee into the future of gaming in Tasmania.

As part of gaming reforms passed by the State Government, community interest will be taken into account when applications for new gaming machines venues are being considered.

The gaming commission has accepted submissions on what the test should involve, with some pushing for local crime rates and substance addiction to be considered in the process.

The committee yesterday asked if the community interest test, or something similar, could be applied for the 3530 gaming machines in the state that will be present in 2023 under the new cap once the existing contract expires.

Ms Cranston said this was a possibility, as was the community interest test being used for licence renewals, but this would require a review.

“Because we were given the task of new licences that [the new licences] is what we were thinking around the test. But because of the questions around the existing ones, I have thought about it [whether it could be applied to existing ones].

“I think effectively the basis would be the same [for a community interest test of poker machines in 2023 or for licence renewals], the fundamentals are here [for it].”

Ms Cranston also said the goal of a sustainable gaming industry while also minimising harm looked to be a difficult one to achieve — and that poker machine monopoly holder Federal Group and subsidiary Network Gaming had been “good corporate citizens” from her point of view.

Anglicare policy officer Margaret Law said if pokies were still allowed in Tasmania at the end of the 2023 contract, a test of any community benefits of them must be done.

“Every venue should have to prove the community interest if they don’t remove poker machines [in 2023],” she said.

The hearings will continue on Friday with Federal Group and the Tasmanian AuditorGeneral fronting the inquiry.