Call to see more cash from pokies

A community-led campaign is needed to persuade club societies and organisations that operate the pokie machines economy to return more of their profits to local communities, Ka¯ piti mayor K Gurunathan said.

“There is evidence to show that tens of thousands of dollars taken out of particular communities, where pokie machine venues are located, is not coming back to them.

“Club societies are legally required to return a minimum of 35-37 per cent of net proceeds into local communities while nonclub societies are legally required to return up to 40 per cent.

“While these societies do return pokie machine proceeds to non-profit organisations in our local communities, evidence shows it’s not always to the same district or ward where the money was spent.

“We need to also persuade these societies to target the distribution of their pokie machine profits to community organisations working in high deprivation communities.

“Especially communities potentially negatively impacted by pokie machine addictions.

“The current review of the class 4 gambling policy has provided an opportunity to consider the current distribution of funds across Ka¯ piti.

“Pokie machines societies should not hide behind the fact that obligations to distribute funds are monitored and enforced by the Department of Internal Affairs.

“A motion moved by James Cootes supported by councillors last week signals council’s desire to work with pokie machine societies to facilitate more funding back into our local communities.”