Moreland Mayor to curb gambling by doubling rates

Moreland Council will double council rates for gaming venues in a bid to reduce gambling in the community.

Mayor of Moreland, Cr Lambros Tapinos said that the increased rate revenue from the new differential rating scheme will be used for improvements in community services and facilities.

It will not apply to non for profit community clubs with poker machines such as RSLs.

“Last year gambling venues took around $72 million from our community.

“They are very profitable and it’s about time these institutions be asked to put something back,” he said.

He went on to say that there is a huge gambling problem within the community, especially for first generation Greek-Australians.

Council was eager to kick the habit by using the increased rate revenue towards anti-gambling services, and to provide social outlets for community members other than gaming.

Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group director Ross Blair-Holt said that the plan would fail to stop problem gamblers.

The company owns five of the ten impacted gaming hotels in Moreland, and will pay an estimated $70,000 more a year under the scheme.

“All it’s going to mean is we’re going to have to save expenses elsewhere, which will be staff and we’ll have to pull back support we give to the local community.”

Independent ‘No Pokies’ Senator Nick Xenophon criticised Mr. Blair-Holt’s claims relating to potential job losses.

“If the poker machine industry really cared about jobs, they would care about the people who lose their jobs after stealing from the boss to fund their addiction to the industry’s machines,” he said.

Cr Tapinos added that if gambling venues found themselves struggling financially as a result of Council’s differential rate, that they should consider removing their poker machines. Senator Xenophon commended Moreland council’s initiative but was concerned that its implementation may simply shift problem gambling to other suburbs.

“Councils are too small to solve this national problem and state governments are so addicted to poker machine taxes they don’t want to,” he said.

“Kevin Rudd said he hated poker machines before the last election. Let’s see some action to back up those words.”

The Senate is currently awaiting the results of a Productivity Commission inquiry into the impact of poker machines due out later this year.