Doctor urges ban on pokie machines

Children are being left to wait outside Kaitaia pubs while their parents are inside gambling – parents who can ill-afford to lose $100, says former New Zealander of the year Kaitaia doctor Lance O’Sullivan.

Yet it was a problem that was ‘‘so simple to fix’’, O’Sullivan said.

He is calling on the Government ‘‘show some courage’’ and ban pokie machines in high-need areas like the Far North, where he said they were doing significant harm.

‘‘These machines are taking food out of the mouths of children and there’s a cure there and it’s just not on,’’ O’Sullivan said.

O’Sullivan said the Government had to act if it was serious about reducing child poverty.

‘‘We’re talking millions being taken out of the Far North community every year through pokie machines and when I go into a cafe, and at the back is a whole lot of pokie machines – there are just people who can’t afford to lose money in there and it doesn’t recycle into our community.

‘‘We don’t see it again and that causes significant harm in our community.’’

In the year to June, pokie machines in the Far North District cashed in on $13.95 million - up nearly $800,000 on the previous year.

Nationally, pokies drew nearly $845m out of the pockets of gamers – much of the funds redistributed through community funds.

O’Sullivan has worked in the Northland region for a number of years and recounted a story that has stuck with him, which reported at the time. There had been little improvement, he said.

‘‘About three or four years ago I had a local business person say to me that they came into their business premises on the weekend and found children, in the back yard of this business, going through his pig bucket to find food to eat.

‘‘This is the reality of what’s happening up here – these are 8 or 10-year-old kids who are hungry. Who scaled a fence to get into some business’ back yard to eat food that we would only deem fit for a pig.

‘‘This is because we have significant levels of poverty and the drivers of poverty are many and multiple, but we know it’s generational and this is an example of these children, and I’ve heard stories of children sitting outside the pub in Kaitaia here, waiting for their parents gambling inside.’’

Central Government did have the power to effect immediate change.

‘‘A simple approach would be banning them in places like Kaitaia and Kaikohe, Ruatahuna – we just don’t think it’s appropriate there.

‘‘If we have them anywhere, maybe we have them in one location.

‘‘That just takes a bit of courage and will on our politicians part,’’ he said.

Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin was unable to be reached for comment, however it is understood she has requested officials provide her details on the prevalence and regional breakdown of pokie machines.