Public chance to sway pokie plans

The public will have a chance to influence how pokie machine numbers in Nelson are controlled after councillors were divided about the best method.

A proposal to change gambling machine regulations was approved for public consultation at a Nelson City Council meeting last week. But it came after division over whether a sinking lid policy – which means that as gaming venues closed new ones would not be permitted to open – should be part of the mix.

The current proposal is to reduce the cap of gaming machines in the city to 162, which is the number of machines currently in the city, to reduce the limit on the number of gaming machines at new venues from nine to five, and to prevent new venues opening in areas of high deprivation. Nelson has been following the national trend and slowly decreasing. There are currently 11 venues, most in the CBD with a few in Tahunanui and Stoke.

Councillor Brian McGurk emphasised that the public could change the outcome of the proposal. ‘‘This is a statement of proposal that goes out to the community to hear what they want, so again I urge people who have a view on gaming machines, please put in a submission, including ones that are in support of it,’’ he said. ‘‘The committee did consider some alternatives, but would welcome anyone with a view to make a submission, including those who might support [of gambling machines].’’

Councillor Matt Lawrey said the proposal was ‘‘headed in the right direction’’ but said it did not go far enough.

‘‘Gaming machines are bad news. They are the crack cocaine of gambling, and reducing the cap a bit, I don’t think goes far enough if we want to reduce harm in the community.

‘‘It’s really important for people to submit on this, but as it stands I can’t support the proposal because it doesn’t have that sinking lid,’’ he said. Group manager of strategy and communications Nicky McDonald said that when the council last consulted on gambling policy the sinking lid was ‘‘strongly opposed by members of the community’’.

She said that though she could not remember every group who submitted in opposition, there was ‘‘strong opposition’’ from groups which ‘‘certainly included community groups who received funding [from pokies]’’.

Councillor Tim Skinner also wanted the sinking lid to be included in the proposal.

‘‘I’ve seen the harm that [gambling] does to good people ... I think this is a good way towards keeping things in a good manner, a controlled manner, but even with all those levers in place, I’ve seen the harm that can be done.

‘‘Some might think that that’s hypocritical, since a lot of that money goes back into sports clubs, but when you’ve got $10 million going into machines ... and when only $4m of that is going back into the community that it came from, there’s $6m being sucked out of Nelson and that’s $6m that could be going into the community.’’