Johnston vocal on gambling reforms

THE Liberals’ controversial gambling industry reforms are likely to pass the Lower House by the end of the week, with debate continuing well into the evening during a marathon sitting of parliament on Wednesday.

At-times heated debate on the Gaming Control Amendment (Future Gaming Market) Bill has continued in the House of Assembly.

The Bill ends Federal Group’s monopoly on poker machines in Tasmania and instead provides for individual licences for venues, and allows for two more casinos, among other measures.

The Greens and the independent member for Clark Kristie Johnston have moved a number of amendments, all of which have been voted down.

Labor members have voted with the government on all but two of the 38 amendments moved during debate until late Wednesday.

MPs debated amendments on harm minimisation measures such as $1 bet limits, slower spins, pre-commitment cards, limiting advertising and incentives to lure gamblers in.

Facial recognition technology to detect excluded gamblers and the hours of operation for venues with poker machines were also strongly debated by MPs.

“It’s absolutely obscene there are poker machine venues open for 20 hours a day,’’ Ms Johnston said.

“They are not recreational players, they are people that are addicted to poker machines.”

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor took aim at the Labor Party, who took a policy to remove pokies from pubs and clubs to the 2018 election, but have now supported the government’s legislation.

Ms O’Connor accused Labor of not following through on its promise to focus on harm minimisation after dropping the policy it took to the 2018 election.

The legislation also allows for the potential for two high-roller casinos for mainland visitors only, one each in the state’s south and north.

Ms O’Connor asked whether it was constitutional to prevent Tasmanians from visiting those venues.