The Tasmanian Greens believe that all members of our community are entitled to protection from the debt and poverty that result from gambling. Uncontrolled personal gambling causes serious social harm, including relationship breakdown, divorce, business failure, homelessness, crime and suicide. Harm minimisation and protection for the community, therefore, form the basis of all Greens’ policy on gambling.

Poker machines and interactive gaming licences have been granted by previous State governments without the responsible and prerequisite research and baseline data research being conducted. Government decisions regarding all forms of gambling must be informed by independent social and economic impact studies.

Interactive gambling must also be constrained by patron-care measures informed by independent social and economic impact studies. Families and businesses need protection through harm minimisation strategies at all gaming venues including alcohol limits, playing time limits, betting limits and maximum take-rates on gaming machines.

The gaming industry largely regulates ‘patron care’ through voluntary codes of practice. This self regulation is inappropriate; the industry’s priority is to keep the consumer in the venue rather than ensuring protection from harm.  The government income stream is no justification for socially damaging activities, and the Greens will ensure that taxation benefits are not a justification for the proliferation of gambling.

Measures

Independent Social and Economic Impact Studies:  conduct biennial, independent social and economic impact studies into the effects of gambling on the community;   review and implement any necessary patron-care measures; require an immediate independent social and economic impact study into the effects of online gaming available in Tasmania

Poker Machines:   roll back all poker machines from all hotels and clubs, TT-Line and casinos to establish Tasmania as a pokie-free state

New Gambling Products: subject all new or extended gambling licences and product proposals to an independent social and economic impact study which includes public consultation; require new applicants to demonstrate harm minimisation controls on patrons

Protection for Gambling Consumers: eliminate the current self regulation of the gambling industry and legislate for patron-care codes of practice to replace voluntary codes of practice;  establish the Gambling Consumers Advocate Office as an independent statutory body responsible for all matters relating to gambling consumer protection, reporting directly to Parliament on the effectiveness of, and conformity with, harm minimisation and patron care; continue working with agencies dealing with the effects of gambling on the community to ensure that all harm minimisation strategies are effective; work towards the removal of all poker machines in all venues

Tasmanian Gaming Commission:  reinstitute the Commission as an independent statutory body with a focus on industry regulation, with responsibilities for consumer protection transferred to the Advocate Office, with at least 50 percent of its membership representing agencies and community groups dealing with gambling problems

Community Support Levy Foundation:  establish a Foundation consisting of nine people appointed by the Minister which distributes the community support levy, to include service providers and community representatives whilst excluding persons employed or significantly associated with a licensed premises gaming operator, casino operator or gaming operator at any time within the preceding two years; require such a Foundation to report to both Houses of Parliament at the end of each financial year

Alternative Entertainment: work with community groups and the private sector to create wider social opportunities in areas of economic disadvantage so that a more diverse range of alternative entertainment and recreational facilities is available