Doctor slams gambling plan
A plan to create a mega gambling venue in the heart of Tokoroa is ‘‘disgraceful’’ and ‘‘predatory’’, Dr Lance O’Sullivan says.
In October Stuff revealed that Pockets 8 Ball Club’s Shotz outlet, The Olde Establishment, and the Putaruru District Services Memorial Club were merging to establish a new super venue with 30 pokie machines in the heart of Tokoroa’s CBD.
The move caused public outcry due to its location on Bridge St and the South Waikato’s over $7 million in gambling losses in the past 12 months.
And the latest news that the venue is in talks with the NZ Racing Board over TAB facilities has added to that outrage.
O’Sullivan, 2014 New Zealander of the Year, said it was ‘‘disgraceful’’.
‘‘The next thing we will know is they will be having a cafe in there and be having childcare facilities - this is how pervasive these organisations are,’’ he said.
O’Sullivan, who provides digital health care to children in Tokoroa, said the South Waikato District Council shouldn’t have signed off site approval for the pokie venue merger due to Tokoroa being a low socio-economic community.
‘‘This is classic predatory behaviour in communities of great need,’’ he said.
‘‘When do you see a gambling outlet with 30 machines in St Heliers or Mission Bay? You don’t.
‘‘It is unacceptable for the council to say it can’t do anything about it.
‘‘It is unacceptable to say it is central government’s responsibility or individual choice.
‘‘Local government has a responsibility to set the scene and environment that allows people to live safe, healthy, and enjoyable lives in their communities and they are failing to do that if they don’t act to remove these machines and venues.
‘‘If they are complicit in these organisations being pervasive among these communities then that is a major concern.’’
O’Sullivan called on the community to stand up against such venues.
‘‘Get out there and protest against these people in your community.
‘‘Research shows that it is going to be Maori and Pasifika women who are going to sit in there.
‘‘Those are mums who then have to go home at the end of the day after they have blown their food budget for the week, look at their kids and have them think my mum cares more about gambling than she does about feeding me.
‘‘These are the feelings and emotions that are going to be contributing to significant stress in households and financial and emotional pressures that these households can ill afford.
‘‘Again it is predatory behaviour on vulnerable communities and it needs to stop.’’
If approved, the venue could result in the closure of the Tokoroa TAB in Mannering St.
Pockets 8 Ball Club manager, and district councillor Wendy Cook, confirmed the venue was in talks over offering TAB facilities.
‘‘I have got nothing more to add as they haven’t made a decision yet,’’ she said.
New Zealand Racing Board head of communications Kate Richards said a decision was likely to be made in the coming days.
‘‘Our retail team ... think they will have a decision on a potential new facility in Tokoroa at the end of next week.’’
While the Department of Internal affairs (DIA) processed the actual application for the operation, the South Waikato District Council continues to justify granting site approval.