Call for pokie ban in council buildings
A proposed ban on pokies in Hutt City Council buildings has been criticised by a senior council officer, who believes it would do little to reduce problem gambling.
A ban would also have a huge impact on a $6.2 million councilowned bowling hub under construction in Naenae. Gaming trusts have contributed more than $1m towards the project and bowling is relying on pokies for 25 per cent of its income.
Cr Campbell Barry’s motion to ban pokies from council facilities comes up for discussion at the council’s next meeting in August. In March, councillors discussing the bowling facility were told the bowling club needed pokies to generate revenue.
That caused unease among some councillors who noted the council’s policy was to reduce pokie numbers in areas of high deprivation, including Naenae.
His motion led to a lively discussion on his Facebook page, with many, like Darryn Gadd, commenting on the harm pokies caused.
‘‘The well-known social cost of pokies on relationships, families, careers, mental health and increased crime is unacceptable. Gambling exploits the poor and disadvantaged in our community.’’
Problem Gambling Foundation communications director Andree Froude supports the proposed ban.
‘‘We see people coming through our doors every single day who have been damaged by these machines.’’
She was concerned the council took pokie money to fund the bowling hub, which was in turn relying on pokies for funding. As the regulatory body, Froude said, the council had a ‘‘conflict of interest’’ because it was benefiting from pokies. The public’s view on pokies had changed in recent years and she said there was now a far greater awareness of the harm gambling causes.
It leads to family violence and poverty, and she said the city council should be looking to protect residents from such harm. Council general manager Matt Reid was not happy with Barry and disputed the reasoning behind his call for a ban.
‘‘I guess I my response to him would be, where is the evidence that sports clubs attract problem gamblers?’’
Reid said all the research showed that problems gamblers did not use sports clubs.
If Barry was worried about harm to society, Reid said he should look at the impact alcohol had on the community.
Policy manager Wendy Moore
Pokie facts
Internal Affairs figures from 2015 showthere were 488 gaming machines in Lower Hutt and 679 in Wellington. For the period January to March 2016 Lower Hutt residents spent $6.09 million playing pokies. For the year 2014/15 NewZealanders spent $818 million on pokies.
According to the Problem Gambling Foundation, there is one pokie machine for every 465 people in wealthier areas of NewZealand. In poorer areas there is one for every 75. said the pokies would only be in the area controlled by the bowling club. The policy to reduce pokies numbers in Naenae applied to commercial operators and not sporting clubs, she said.
Local Adam Weir strongly supports Barry’s call for a ban. ’’Ethically a council that promotes health and wellbeing in the community should not allow pokies. Ethically, I think it is all a bit shady.’’