LET’S MAKE OUR PUBS BETTER
White waits for poll date
JACQUI Lambie has released her party’s pokies policy as new polling reveals only 11 per cent of voters in the northern electorate of Bass would have their vote swayed by the issue.
It comes as gaming giant the Federal Group launched its campaign against the Labor and Greens policies of removing pokies from pubs and clubs.
The Jacqui Lambie Network also wants poker machines out of pubs and clubs in five years, but rather than compensate venues, the party would offer grants to allow hotels to be renovated and become more family friendly or culturally viable.
“It’s time to take responsibility for the damage poker machines are doing to vulnerable people’s lives and it’s time to make our pubs and clubs family friendly again,” former senator and JLN leader Jacqui Lambie said.
“Three quarters of all pubs in Tasmania don’t operate poker machines.
“The Liberal Government falsely claims that 5000 jobs would be lost with the removal of poker machines, when in fact the number of full-time jobs linked to poker machines in pubs is only 317.
“The same figures — which were released by Treasurer Peter Gutwein this week — show that the number of Tasmanians with a gambling problem is seven times the number of people who are employed full-time for the gaming industry in pubs and clubs.”
The Liberal’s policy is to reduce the number of machines in pubs and clubs and the stark contrast between its stance on gaming reform and that of Labor, and now the JLN, is shaping up to be a major election issue.
Ms Lambie said the Government was not dependent on gambling revenue, receiving about $31 million in the 2016-2017 financial year and if machines were removed from clubs and pubs the $110 million lost on pokies would be diverted into the economy.
“The JLN believes that between now and the end of the contract in July 2022, that pubs and clubs will have been given more than enough time to adapt to the changes forthcoming and therefore sees no reason to compensate.
“However, the JLN does support administering a grant program for clubs and pubs who want to renovate their proper- ties to make them more family friendly or culturally viable.”
In launching a campaign against the Labor and Greens policies yesterday, Federal Group managing director and chief executive Greg Farrell told employees and supporters at the Country Club in Launceston that he had “never walked away from a fight”.
“I’ll be here at the end and I’ll be standing here beside every one of you and we are going to give this the best possible shot,” he said.
Federal’s campaign will fea- ture 11 company employees telling of fears about their jobs.
“The Liberal party policy does provide a level of certainty, it provides for a different playing field post 2023, one which will guarantee the employment of people in our businesses,” Mr Farrell said.
“Labor and the Greens have gone too far — they have sold out to minority interests.”
Meanwhile, a ReachTel poll has identified health as the key election issue in Bass, with poker machine policy a key vote determinant for just 11 per cent of voters. The poll by the Australia Institute found that 48 per cent of voters would vote Liberal, 26.5 per cent would vote Labor, 10.2 per cent for Greens and 9.2 per cent for the Jacqui Lambie Network.
Fixing the health system was nominated by 37.3 per cent of voters as the key determinant of their vote, creating jobs by 21.5 per cent, education by 9.3 per cent, getting pokies out of pubs and clubs 10.9 per cent and ensuring a majority government by 21 per cent.
Australia Institute Tasma- nian director Leanne Minshull said the 9.2 per cent for the Jacqui Lambie Network would put them within striking distance of the fifth seat.
Polling analyst Kevin Bonham said it was a strong result for the Government but some aspects of the poll may have exaggerated the Liberal result.
“Taking into account that ReachTel always has Labor low in Tasmania I would say it is indicating a 3 Liberal 2 Labor result,” he said, adding he believed Labor should have recorded a vote in the high 30s in the poll.
It’s time to take responsibility for the damage poker machines are doing to vulnerable
people’s lives and it’s time to make our pubs and clubs family friendly again. JACQUI LAMBIE
OPPOSITION Leader Rebecca White says she’s keen for the election to be called in the wake of growing speculation over the date of the poll.
Political insiders have been tipping March 3 as the most likely date for the poll, to avoid clashing with long weekends and the South Australian election on March 17.
When asked yesterday how she would feel about a March 3 election, Ms White said: “I’d be happy to have an election, if they would only announce it I’d be very pleased.”
Mr Hodgman has consistently said the election would be held in March, but has so far avoided confirming a date.
Despite making a number of law and order policy announcements yesterday, Police Minister Rene Hidding reminded reporters that “the election campaign’s not on yet” when asked if the party would match a Labor commitment to add three general duty police dogs to the force.
Earlier this week, Treasurer Peter Gutwein dampened speculation the election would be called this weekend, saying the Premier would be on the West Coast, which was “a long way from Government House”.
The minimum time between an election being called and polling day is about four weeks.